Left Behind
by a.mild.groove
Summary: 2D has had enough of Murdoc's abuse and Noodle gets kicked to the curb. 2DXNoodle. Rated T for language and some sexy stuff later.
1. Chapter 1

Left Behind

By: keep.your.groove.on.baby

Disclaimer: No

Chapter One

It was a hot, muggy day all over England. Not very surprising though to its citizens; August never promised good weather…then again neither did any other month in the year. However, in a little town in West Sussex named Crawley, the weather was the same as around the rest of the country but it appeared to be so much worse for one young man…especially when you're air conditioning wasn't working. On a dirty corner of a dirty street stood an organ store named 'Uncle Norm's Organs.' In the window there were old signs for sales from years past and signs for current sales but one could not differentiate due to the fact that none of the signs had a date and all of them were mixed together. The owner, Uncle Norm, refused to take the signs down because he claimed that either way, one of them is going to get a customer inside.

However, in this particular month, it wasn't the signs that were attracting people into the hot and suffocating store. Right next to the window where the signs were was a cashier counter and if you just so happened to be walking by you could see out of the corner of your eye a bright splash of blue from inside the bland music store. Mostly people would stop to stare with their mouths gaping open for a minute before shaking their heads and walking away dumbfounded. Occasionally someone would walk in to stare even more or talk to the man behind the counter about the…blue. If Uncle Norm was lucky…whoever was attracted inside due to the bright blue might buy something that caught their fancy.

The blue, in case you're wondering, wasn't decoration of any kind but instead something you might say Uncle Norm…bought to attract customers, also because this man was an avid learner for the keyboard. That's right…Uncle Norm hired a rather tall, striking young man named Stuart Pot primarily because of his spiky blue hair. The owner didn't question whether it was dyed or somehow natural…it didn't matter because from the moment he hired him people began to come inside to ask about the blue locks and occasionally were convinced to look around the store even though most of them kept their eyes on the hair of the young man behind the cash register.

Today, however, a young woman of a petite size with pretty blonde hair didn't quite catch the blue out of the corner of her eye but instead heard an uppity melody from a keyboard. Then she turned her head to look inside the window, past the clutter of sale signs, and noticed that the tall man playing the keyboard next to the window had blue hair. She cocked her head to the side with a frown and turned around to walk inside the store, immediately regretting it due to the heat coming from _inside_ the store in comparison to the heat from outside. The moment she set foot inside the store the blue-haired man stopped his playing and looked up at her with the prettiest blue eyes she'd ever seen. He smiled at her brightly and said, "Afternoon! Welcome to Uncle Norm's Organ Shop. Lemme know if I can help ya wit' anythin'."

She smiled back at him and walked towards where he was behind the counter, placing both of her palms down on the surface and pushing her breasts forward slightly. She caught his eyes flicker down beneath her face and she smirked rewardingly. She glanced at his name tag that said 'Stuart' and licked her lips before gazing back into his eyes. "Well, Stuart, I was wonderin' if I could ask you about those gorgeous blue locks you 'ave. I've neva seen anythin' like it." She said with a thick British accent. Stuart grinned with his eyes downcast and a light blush gracing his pale skin. She leaned forward even more with her arms tucked snugly underneath her breasts so they were pushed up even more, this only deepened the blush on the young man's cheeks.

"W-Well…believe i-it o' not…i's all natural." He stammered with a smile and a glance that traveled from her breasts to her face, back down to her breasts and then to the keyboard in front of him.

The blonde's mouth dropped open lightly and her eyes widened in shock, "No way! Tha' has to be dyed!" He shook his head and bent his knees slightly due to his height, so when he leaned forward his spiky hair was close to her face. "Feel it," he whispered, "it 'as tha' natural feel to it. I've neva dyed it in my entire life." Biting her lip she slowly and gently ran her fingers through the blue hair and was surprised to find it naturally soft. "Wow," she whispered. Glancing down at his half-visible face she saw that he was grinning from her remark but his eyes were on her breasts. Smiling because she knew the ball was in her court she leaned forward to sniff his hair, her eyes closing to the pleasant fragrance and her breasts almost touching his face. "Mmm…your hair smells good, Stuart." She said pulling away from him and giggling from his enflamed cheeks.

"T-Thank you, m-miss," he stammered again, the blush deepening and his eyes trying their hardest to focus on the keyboard in front of him. She smiled and held out her hand to him, "My name's Kristal."

He shook her hand, mumbling 'Stuart' and then shoving his hands into the pockets of his blue jeans. He felt her smiling at him and cleared his throat from the scrutiny; he could really use a cigarette right about now. He glanced up when he heard her sweet voice again, "…too forward, but…can I give you my number?" Stuart grinned, liking where this was going and nodded, "Awright darlin'." He said with a wink that made her giggle. He pulled out a pad of paper from the drawer in front of him and handed it to her with a pen that he'd had behind his ear. She wrote down her full name and her number and handed it back to him with a wink.

"It was nice to meet ya Kristal," Stuart said, taking the pad and pen from her and grabbing her hand and bending down and kissing it, never taking his blue eyes off her. Now it was her turn to blush, her eyes widening as he let go of her hand with another wink and stood to his full height. "Nice to meet you, too, Stuart," she mumbled flabbergasted. He glanced at the number and then back at her with a smile and said, "Dinner sometime?" She nodded and he grinned again, "See you later than Kristal." She smiled at him and waved as she walked out the door into the sun, "Bye Stuart."

Stuart grinned as he watched her walk away from the store, her hips swaying slightly. After she turned a corner and was out of sight, he glanced back down at the piece of paper in his hand and grinned slyly, proud of himself. He shoved the number in his pocket and was putting the pen back behind his ear when he heard screeching tires and screams from people outside. Time slowed down as he began to lift his head to look out the window. Right as his eyes were looking out the door he heard the glass window next to him breaking and then…

2D was jolted awake with a shout, the impact from five years ago that almost happened in his dream causing tremors of fear to run through his body as his brain and everything else worked to get on the same page. He looked around his surroundings before registering that he was in his bed in his room with the lights out. His ears began to register a rushing sound which he quickly realized was his own breath escaping from his lips as he panted from the nightmare. The last thing he realized was that he was wearing only his boxers and covered in a cold sweat. 2D swore out loud and reached his arm over his head to fumble with the light when he felt his hand smack something paper and heard it flutter to the floor. After successfully turning on the light he glanced down and noticed it was the picture of Paula he'd never bothered to take down. Now it was face up next to his foot and he shrugged, kicking it under the bed.

"Sick o' ya anyways…" he muttered. Glancing at the clock he swore again when he realized it was eight o'clock in the morning. So…he continued his usual routine whenever he woke up too early. He automatically grabbed the orange bottle with the white safety cap and fiddled to get it off before successfully opening it and popping one of his precious white pills in his mouth followed by a swig of stagnant water that had been sitting on his nightstand. After ensuring that the pill had made its way down his esophagus into his stomach he picked up his pack of cigarettes only to discover that the pack was empty. His eyes widened only for a fraction of a second from a mixture of panic, fear and anger before he shrugged it off and doubled over to reach under his bed for the carton he bought to keep him well stocked. He felt the cardboard touch his fingers and he pulled on it, realizing that the carton felt a little too light…

2D held up the carton in front of his face, his mouth gaped at the empty cardboard before he lunged to the ground and shoved his head and arms under the bed to search for any cigarettes that may have fallen out of the pack or the carton….

"FUCK!" He shouted after reeling back from under the bed. Nothing. There wasn't anything under his bed that resembled a cigarette or tobacco. 2D glared angrily at the empty carton that was ruining his early morning routine. He had to pop a pill to keep the migraines from coming that were almost guaranteed due to the fact that he gets stressed when he wakes up too early and then to soothe the effects of the pill he smokes a cigarette while he walks upstairs to grab a beer out of the kitchen. NOW he couldn't get a beer because he didn't have a cigarette to keep him company on the way up there. The singer groaned from where he sat on the ground and wiped his hands down his face irritably. Why did _that_ particular nightmare have to rear its ugly face? He hadn't dreamt about that in a few years and he preferred not to. Sure Muds was the reason why he looked the way he did but he was also why 2D was called what he was and was where he is now…

Sighing loudly 2D stood and walked into his bathroom to relieve himself. After that he washed his face and brushed his teeth so he could go out. Might as well be clean when you're running to the store for smokes. Grabbing a pair of pants from off the floor and a shirt that smelled clean from his closet, the singer pulled on a pair of shoes, grabbed his wallet, keys and phone and walked out the door into the car park.

Rubbing his face to help himself wake up, 2D walked quietly, without even thinking about it, past the infamous Winnebago so as not to disturb the occupant(s) inside. He wasn't in the mood to get abused this early in the morning. A safe distance from the mobile home, 2D grinned wickedly when he saw his old car; the banged up and thoroughly used Toyota Camry. He raised his middle finger in a crude salute as he walked past the car to his newest investment and total waste of money.

True, it screamed CELEBRITY every time he drove it, but he was starting to care less and less. It was better than driving something that screamed TOO LAZY TO FIX IT.

2D, a few months ago, had dated a girl from the States whose father owned a Chevrolet dealership. She was cute, but intolerable, so 2D dated her knowing that she'd want to introduce him to 'daddy' whenever 'daddy' visited England. After a month of horrible, but protected, sex 'daddy' finally came over to England to "meet the man that stole his daughter's heart" so he'd said. Well, of course the man brandished several catalogs and magazines for the cars at his dealership. Ignoring the girl and getting chummy with the father, within two hours 2D had arranged to have a custom 2004 Z28 Camaro custom made and shipped to England. The father instantly loved the singer and even offered to pay for the paint job himself; one of the few 'custom' expenditures 2D was paying for. 2D had shrugged at the offer and claimed he wasn't sure what color he wanted so the father playfully winked at him and said he'd surprise him.

Then came the 'money' issue. The father offered incredible financing but 2D was in the prime of his career and not interested in payments so the singer just pulled out his wallet, wrote down his credit card number and expiration date and told the shocked man to charge the whole thing to his card, no financing necessary. Well…needless to say the man practically begged 2D to marry his daughter but 2D just smiled after the meeting and continued to put up with the girl right up until the car was shipped to Kong Studios; then he changed his cell phone number, paid off the credit card and cancelled it to save his ass from any kind of vengeful abuse the girl or her father might plot.

To those of you that haven't already guessed or simply forgot, the father of 2D's tolerated girlfriend surprised 2D by painting the car the exact shade of blue to match the singer's hair with dark tinted windows and an all black interior. This was one of the few things that screamed 'celebrity' whenever he drove it; the others were the custom rims that were platinum and outrageously large and of course an exhaust that woke everyone in Kong every time he started it. Now, 2D wasn't a car kind of guy, but come on…who wouldn't love a car like this?

2D grinned evilly as he unlocked the driver side with the remote attached to his keys and opened the door, gently sitting down inside with a satisfied sigh. Shutting the door the singer inserted the key into the ignition and paused, smiling giddily at what he thought to be the most amazing car in like…the world.

Suddenly he quickly turned the key in the ignition and the car literally roared to life, echoing throughout the entire car park and filtering through the ceiling to shake the floors above with the loud exhaust that continued to growl loudly as it idled. Shifting into drive the singer gently pressed on the gas and drove out of the car park, the Camaro's growl growing louder as the gas pedal inched closer to the floor of the car.

As he exited the car park, 2D failed to see the door of the Winnebago get kicked open and a wide-eyed, half-naked, angry bassist stand in the doorway watching him leave. Murdoc clenched his sharp teeth, his fists balling up at his sides. "I'm gona kill yeh Dullard." He whispered menacingly.

Windows down and the radio blaring at eight thirty in the morning, 2D had a goofy smile on his face as he drove out of Kong Studios to the local gas station not even seven blocks away. He pulled into the parking spot, and exited the car, locking it and arming the alarm with the remote as he walked inside. He grinned at the cashier behind the counter as he walked up. No one else was there and the cashier smiled back at him, automatically reaching behind him for two cartons of cigarettes he knew 2D was going to buy. "Forgot again, didn't ya?" the man behind the car asked as he rang up the cartons of smokes. 2D nodded sheepishly and pulled out his credit card, swiping the plastic and taking the bag with his cigarettes from the cashier. "Yea…I can neva' rememba' to go get more when I'm low." The cashier laughed and handed him the receipt and a pen so he could sign. 2D did so and handed him back his copy of the receipt.

The cashier looked up at him and then past him outside, his mouth dropping open slightly, "Uh oh, ya might wana go incognito, mate. Teeny boppers right outside." The cashier said, pointing behind 2D towards the gas pumps. The singer turned his head and swore upon seeing the fourteen year old girls with their purses and cell phones and one of them even wearing a Gorillaz shirt. 2D turned back around to the cashier and smiled when the man had pulled out a beanie and a pair of large aviator sunglasses. He grabbed them gratefully and pulled on the cap to cover his blue hair and put on the sunglasses with an almost toothless grin. "Thanks, I owe ya one." The cashier, who'd been selling cigarettes to 2D since he started living at Kong Studios waved goodbye as the singer exited the store and quickly went to his car, unlocking it and opening the door in almost the same instant. However his luck ran out as he was closing the door when he heard the one girl with the Gorillaz shirt on gasp and say, "Oh my God…I think tha's 2D from—" 2D didn't wait to hear the rest but started the car immediately and pulled out of the gas station as the teeny bopper girls were running up to his car.

Glancing back in his rearview mirror 2D snickered when he saw a few of the girls stomping their feet obnoxiously and some of them crying. He shook his head and settled himself comfortably into his car and putting his seatbelt on. The drive home was somewhat quiet since the singer was a little spooked to roll down his windows and he hadn't thought to turn the radio on. Once home, he waited for the gates of Kong to open for him before pulling up the long driveway that led to the car park. He parked in his usual spot and turned the engine off, grinning when he heard the echo from the exhaust in the car park. Stepping out of the car the singer retrieved his bag from the passenger seat and gently closed the door with his hip, leaning up against the car and ripping the cellophane off one of the cartons, tossing the garbage inside the bag and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. After ripping the cellophane off that pack he opened the pack and pulled a cigarette out with his lips, grinning from the sheer prospect of smoking. Shoving the pack in one pocket he began walking towards his bedroom and pulled a lighter out of his other pocket to light the beloved death stick. He stopped his walking to inhale and closed his eyes to hold his breath before exhaling slowly with a pleasured smile. "'at's th' stuff."

♥♥♥

White eyes stared mundanely at the steaming pan on the burner, hand poised and ready on the handle. When the steam started to become more frequent the large drummer flipped the hot pan he was holding and caught the half-cooked pancake, its raw side landing down in the greasy pan as the drummer settled it down on the burner to cook some more. Sighing he straightened his spine and glanced over his shoulder at the teenage guitarist sitting cross-legged at the kitchen table, nursing her third cup of tea.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Russel asked again for the second time within the hour. Noodle nodded, her arm robotically bringing the steaming cup to her lips as she sipped the hot liquid in hopes to be soothed.

Both Russel and Noodle had been woken by 2D's car…again. It was more of a routine now than it was an annoyance. Sure the two of them were up an hour than usual, but Russel always made pancakes every time 2D ran out of cigarettes and had to run to the store to complete _his_ morning routine. Yea…they all knew each other's habits and routines pretty much front to back. Noodle however, had sulked into the kitchen wearing long pajama pants and a large hoodie with a saddening frown on her face, like it was her last day on earth or something. When prompted to talk about it the first time the drummer had asked she'd merely shook her head and said it wasn't something she was ready to talk about yet. She wasn't even sure she should talk about it…it wasn't her business anyway.

Noodle stared into her mug, her sad reflection frowning back at her from the dark-colored tea. She bit her lip as what happened yesterday ran through her mind for the hundredth time…that morning.

Flashback

"Knock, knock! Hey, 'D? You in here?" Noodle asked poking her head through 2D's bedroom door and glancing around, hoping he was decent. He sat on his bed with the remote in one hand and the other tucked behind his head. He glanced at her and smiled before focusing back onto his triple screen where a soccer game was playing.

"Whatcha need, love?" he asked, not really paying attention to her as she walked into the room and seated herself on the floor in front of his computer.

Noodle cleared her throat, "I need to check my email and my computer is on the fritz again. Can I use yours?" She asked glancing up at him to see if he minded or was even paying attention to her. He looked at her again and smiled with a wink, "Sure, love. Go ahead."

Noodle nodded and opened the mailbox when she noticed that his mail address was already logged in. Not really meaning to she glanced at his inbox and noticed an email from over a year ago. She snorted lightly with a smile until she saw what was in the Subject box: Child Support Payments.

Noodle's eyebrow quirked up and her mouth dropped open slightly when she read this. Glancing up to make sure the singer wasn't watching her; Noodle double clicked the old email to read its contents. Scanning over it quickly, Noodle's eyes began to widen and she forced herself to bite her lip to keep her shocked gasp from escaping. 2D…2D was a father…of _several_ children apparently. Children that he had been roped into paying child support for and was failing miserably to do so. She reread the email in which her mouth dropped open again…_DNA testing to confirm the other cases…_

Noodle had seen enough. She looked up and glared at the ignorant singer, exiting out of the mailbox without checking her own and standing up quickly, her fists clenched angrily at her sides. Closing her eyes and shaking her head she turned to walk out of the room, when the singer's voice stopped her in her tracks. "You awright darlin'?" He asked her, his voice filled with concern.

Noodle swallowed the lump in her throat and fought the tears that threatened to fall. "I don't feel so good," she mumbled, "I'll talk to you later, 'D." And with that she slammed the door shut and ran to the lift, her battle with her tears lost as her eyes dripped with anger and regret. Regret for her nosiness and regret for her feelings. Of course the person who cared the most would stumble across such a personal secret, no wonder her other band mates didn't know…it would cause complications.

The Axe Princess stumbled out of the lift into the adjoining room that belonged to her, kicking the door shut and locking it. She fell back against her door, elbowing it harshly with a shout. Clenching her teeth the Japanese guitarist slid down the door with her back, her hands covering her face shakily as she wept and rocked her body against the door. How could this happen? 2D never had women over…ever since that Paula incident from before. Somehow, without Noodle realizing, 2D had gone out, probably during the rise of their first album and impregnated a _bunch_ of women.

Noodle gnashed her teeth, her fingers gripping her hair roughly, "FUCKING IDIOT!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Thankfully, for Noodle, Russel was in the bunker gathering food which usually took several hours since the large drummer had to make more than one trip. Banging her head back against the door the guitarist released her iron-grip hold on her hair and let her hands slide down her face and fall into her lap which were soon followed by an onslaught of angry tears.

Her head rolled back and forth from left to right as she wept out loud, "Why! Why! Why couldn't it have been anybody but him! Why! FUCKING WHY!" She screamed, her body beginning to tremor from her sobs.

Her eyes opened as she looked around her room, desperately looking for a way out, for some kind of release of all of her built up anger and tension. The first thing her eyes focused on, ironically, was the stem of her scythe poking out from behind one closed closet door. Red hot anger pulsed in front of her line of vision and her muscles began to tense, preparing to move her to the scythe so she could destroy, destroy whatever may be in her path.

The eager Axe Princess stopped herself, though, before her body could overpower her mind. Her dreams were already destroyed, destroying her room and anything else that met her fancy wouldn't accomplish anything except a guarantee that Russel would chew her ass off and Murdoc would make her pay for the damage or just make her sleep in the hallway.

Noodle sobbed when her eyes settled onto her alarm clock on the side of her bed: ten o'clock. It was a very early bedtime for pretty much all of the residents in Kong but Noodle didn't care. There was nothing else she could do. She didn't have her license yet, she was only fourteen, because she was only fourteen she couldn't just walk up to a twenty-seven year old man and be like, "Hey, guess what? I have feelings for you!" No, generally there is a more mature way to go about spilling those kinds of beans. Generally.

Sliding her palms behind her up the door, the guitarist pushed herself off the door onto her hands and knees and crawled to her bed, tears streaming out of her eyes and down her already raw cheeks. She knew she was pitiful. As if she couldn't get any lower than she was, she couldn't even bear to stand. She just felt that low.

Once she reached her bed she gripped the edge of the mattress with both hands and pulled her weak body to her knees, letting go of the side of her bed and wobbling slightly in place before she regained her balance. Once steady, Noodle stripped herself down to nothing and crawled under her sheets, curling into the fetal position, naked, and still weeping. Her world came crashing down around her and now nothing was worth any amount of effort. None.

Pulling the covers over her bare skin, the young guitarist cursed her age and cursed her stupidity as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. However, for the Axe Princess, not even sleep would bring much relief. Her dreams were filled with taunting infants and toddlers, all bearing spiky blue hair and fractured eyeballs. Their mothers standing behind them dressed like prostitutes and whores, a cigarette poking out of all their mouths, including the children's. They stood around her in a circle pointing and laughing at her as she stood in the center of them, naked and alone with no one by her side.

Was this a premonition of her future? Would their singer continue his no-barrier sexual escapades without a thought of anyone else in the world while Noodle stood on the sidelines, depressed and alone while the one she loved walked right past her with no more than a smile and a pat on the head? Is that all she would have to settle with? Is that really all she got? It seemed so unfair for her…there was no justice in the world…no justice in Kong Studios…none…

Suddenly Noodle was jolted awake by a loud roaring sound that vibrated throughout the entirety of her body and shook her soul. Her eyes widened and she began to pant in fear as her nerves worked double time to detangle themselves before her body had a complete meltdown.

After several unnerving seconds Noodle groaned and plopped her head back down in her pillow once she realized what exactly had waken her in such a terrifying manner.

"Fucking two floors down…" she mumbled.

End Flashback

Noodle ran her tongue across her front teeth, nodding her head and staring off into space somewhere on the kitchen table. So this is where the memory left her, a complete and total drone. She was still pissed about her discovery from not even eleven hours earlier, but what the hell could she do? Tell her band mates? That wouldn't do her any good, especially since there was an ulterior motive for anything she did regarding the ignorant singer. She'd do anything just to get nearer to him or be with him for long periods of time…so what would ratting him out do to help her? Exactly.

Suddenly there was a plate full of pancakes shoved under her nose and seconds later and fork and knife along with some butter and syrup. Noodle looked up from the plate at the drummer who smiled warmly back at her. "Always makes me feel better to have a full stomach." He said with a wink.

Noodle smiled back at him, "Thank you, Russel." She whispered, picking up the syrup when he grinned and turned his back to her to make another batch of pancakes. Drowning her pancakes in maple syrup, Noodle realized she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. For whatever reason, she couldn't remember, she had skipped lunch and Russel hadn't been able to get into her room to invite her to the late dinner he had made. The guitarist shrugged it off and pushed her tepid tea away, picking up her fork and knife and digging into the large stack of pancakes Russel had made her. She groaned lightly from the delicious taste in her mouth, the noise not going unnoticed by the large drummer who laughed at her reaction.

"I figured you'd be hungry, baby girl. You skipped lunch and dinner yesterday." He commented.

Noodle stopped chewing when he mentioned skipping lunch. Before she could begin to wonder how he would know she rolled her eyes and finished chewing the food in her mouth. Of course the drummer would know, _he_ was the one cooking all the time so he would know if she wasn't there or not. Duh.

Swallowing, Noodle cut another piece out of the large stack of hot pancakes she had and was lifting the fork to her open mouth when suddenly a blood curdling scream pierced the air through Kong like a knife into someone's heart. Noodle's body stiffened from shock and she gasped aloud, her fork slipping out of her hand and dropping almost in slow motion onto the table.

Her eyes widened in fear, "Russel!" She whispered. The large drummer had already turned around though, a pancake on the floor from an attempt to flip it when the scream erupted from downstairs. His face was stern and his white eyes scowling in the direction of the lift.

"Stay here." He demanded as he stomped past her towards the lift. Noodle nodded shakily, too afraid to turn around and see what may be behind her. Trembling, she listened to the large drummer stomp down the hallway and call the lift, in which the door immediately opened from not being used last night and he entered, stabbing the ground floor button, causing the doors to slide shut again.

Noodle's breath came out ragged as she listened for something…anything. She glanced around the kitchen, still afraid to look back when suddenly a loud explosion shook the entire building from the foundation and up. Noodle screamed at the explosion even though she couldn't even hear herself as she covered her ears from the noise. She fell out of the chair she was sitting and managed to crawl under the table, her plate and mug crashing on the ground around her. She covered her face with her arms and knees as she waited for the explosion to die down.

After a minute of thunder shaking Kong, the noise died down and the shaking subsided. Noodle shakily lifted her head from her knees, her eyes slowly going down the hallway until they met with the lift door, which had smoke coming out of it.

"NO!" She screamed, fumbling to get out from under the table. She stood and stared at the smoking lift door before bolting out of the kitchen for the stairs, racing down two flights of stairs and skipping three and four steps and practically jumping down whole flights. Once she reached the lobby downstairs she burst through the lobby door and into the hallway that led to the car park. Running down the hallway, she skidded to a stop and slammed into the door, fiddling with the doorknob to open it but finding that the door was locked: none of their doors were ever locked unless it was a bedroom door.

Sobbing in frustration the Axe Princess stood back against the opposite side of the corridor and kicked out the door, smoke instantly billowing in from the car park. Lifting the hood of her sweater and bring the neck line over her nose, Noodle ran into the smoke-filled car park.

It was a war zone.

To her left past the bunker entrance something was on fire and she couldn't quite tell what it was at the moment. To her right her eyes widened when she saw blood splattered on the back end of Murdoc's Winnebago and a puddle right underneath the bumper.

Suddenly Noodle's attention was drawn away from the Satanist's Winnie to shouts coming from the direction of 2D's room. Noodle gasped, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "No."

Running in a full sprint, the young guitarist dodged several weapons on the ground including knives, a gun, Murdoc's scythe and a broken _bass_ guitar. Her bare feet also slipped in a rather large puddle of blood but she'd managed to catch her balance and continue running until she reached the singer's room.

Noodle stood in the doorway for a fraction of a second before screaming at the top of her lungs from the sight before her. Russel had Murdoc by the throat off his feet against a wall and was slamming his fist into the bassist's already bloody face. Upon hearing her scream he jerked his head to the side to see what was behind him, his expression immediately falling from one of complete anger to one of regret. Murdoc didn't have much of an expression but he must have said something because blood squirted out of his mouth onto Russel.

"Noodle…" Russel whispered.

She looked away from him wide eyed to the bed and cried out in horror from what she saw.

In the center of the destroyed bed lay, face down, 2D. His back was bare where there were cuts and scrapes oozing blood, his pants were ripped to shreds, showing bloody legs as well. His head looked purple due to the fact that his blue hair was covered in blood. Noodle ran over to the bed, ignoring Russel and Murdoc and gently climbing on the torn mattress towards the broken singer. Sobbing hysterically she hesitantly touched his arm opposite her, flinching when the muscles under her fingertips twitched from her touch but no sound came from the singer. Swallowing the lump that was in her throat, Noodle tried to psyche herself so she could flip him over.

She was afraid. Afraid of what she was going to see when she rolled the unconscious singer over. The room was silent save for the ragged breathing coming from the broken bassist as Russel continued to hold him up by his neck. The big drummer watched her with concern, worried over the same thing she was. Murdoc was afraid of what would happen to him once the drummer and the guitarist discovered what he had done to the battered singer.

Noodle took a deep, ragged breath and gripped the broken man's arm and shoulder, a high pitch sound coming from the singer but not quite registering with the others in the room. Biting her lip she slowly pulled 2D's body over, a loud scream coming from the singer that frightened her and caused her band mates to flinch. 2D continued to cry out as he was rolled over onto his back, his bloody face exposed, causing Noodle to reel back and echo him with a cry of her own.

It was amazing that 2D wasn't dead already from such a large amount of blood loss. There was a large gash across his forehead, which Noodle recognized to be from a scythe, and several smaller gashes all over his body testified to the knifes that lay outside in the car park. Noodle's tear-filled eyes roamed over the weeping singer's body in horror as she discovered new wounds all over his body, all from a different weapon. A bullet had nicked the shoulder closest to her and the wound was still bleeding heavily. On the shoulder now opposite of her, the guitarist cried out again to see a small dagger sticking out of 2D's forearm. His stomach had several more knife gashes and bruised all over his body.

Remembering Murdoc's broken bass, Noodle immediately looked at 2D's crown suspiciously and gasped when her fear came true and 2D's head was bleeding from where Murdoc hit him over the head with his bass.

Honestly, Noodle was waiting for 2D to croak right in front of her. It seemed impossible that he was alive still. Then 2D did something surprising to all of them in the room and opened his now bruised eyes. Noodle's eyes widened and she leaned in to look at him since she couldn't tell where his eyes were looking.

"Noodle…" he said through busted lips.

The young guitarist sobbed out again and gently laid her hand on the part of his arm that wasn't bleeding or bruised. "I'm here, 'D. I'm here."

"Help me…up." He said from where he lay.

Noodle nodded and gently slid her hands under his neck and his good shoulder, using all of her weight and strength to lift him off the bed. 2D winced as she lifted and cried out once he was upright, his muscles tensing under his flesh as he tried to shake off the pain. Noodle stopped once she had him in the upright position but he stopped her before she could take her hands off him.

"Stand…I want…to…stand…" He muttered.

Noodle stared at him in disbelief as did Russel. 2D was practically broken from such abuse and he was talking and attempting to stand. Something wasn't right about the whole situation. Nevertheless Noodle nodded and slid off the bed, moving to 2D's other side to support him from his good side but keeping her hand on his good shoulder to support his upper body. However, before Noodle shakily slid her arm around his lower back, he cried out again, stopping her in her tracks as he examined his right side and saw the dagger in his forearm. Then…the singer did something very uncharacteristic for the usually mild-mannered, easy going man: he growled, viciously.

Noodle's and Russel's eyes widened in shock from the angry noise coming from the singer as he growled and then suddenly he grabbed the dagger and ripped it out of his arm, blood splattering all over Noodle as she cried out in shock. She heard a ragged gasp behind her and guessed it to be Murdoc but she didn't care. Aside from being bloody and bruised, something wasn't right with the singer.

Moving, again, to help him stand Noodle reached out to wrap her arm around 2D's back but flinched when suddenly he raised his hand with the bloody dagger in front of his person in a defensive manner. Russel gasped as Noodle jerked him arms away from the singer.

"No." He growled. Noodle's eyes widened at this, he was staring right at her, or so she thought, and he had his arm raised in front of his body with the dagger facing outwards, outwards towards _her_, and an angry scowl on his features.

Fresh tears began to pour out of the frightened guitarist's wide eyes, "2D…let me…help you…help you stand." She stammered. His scowl deepened and his shook his head furiously, gnashing his teeth and snarling, "NO!"

Noodle's eyes widened even more as she reared back away from him. This wasn't 2D. It couldn't be. 2D would never, _ever_, get angry with her. Four years she's known him and not once has he ever raised his voice to her in and angry or threatening manner. Behind her she heard Russel choke on his words.

"'D…'D what's wrong with you?"

The singer turned his glare from Noodle onto the big drummer, his eyes widening angrily, "Wha's wrong wit' me! Wha's wrong wit' me! Are yeh jokin' Russ? Fuckin' look at me, damnit!" The singer shouted, causing the three other members to flinch, Murdoc falling to the floor from Russel's slackened grip. This caused 2D to focus his attention onto the bloody bassist, his grip on the dagger tightening as his eyes narrowed accusingly. Murdoc's blackened eyes looked up guiltily at the singer, his face etched with something his band mates had never seen before: fear.

2D glared down at him, "It wasn't enough was it yeh bastard? I 'ad a good life before yeh came crashin' into 'at store an' did 'is to me," he said pointing a finger at one of his black, fractured eyes. Murdoc blinked, motionless and silent. 2D's nostrils flared as he exhaled slowly from them, his eyes still narrowed, "Four years…four years I let yeh walk all ov'r me after 'at," the singer shook his head, "No more," and with that he took a step towards the fallen bassist, his grip tightening on the dagger as he raised it in his hand.

Noodle's eyes widened when she caught the miniscule movement of his muscle's tightening in his hand and she immediately jumped in front of where Murdoc sat helplessly, her legs spread defensively and her palms spread out from her waist to keep her balance. She wouldn't let this happen; the fighting had to stop here, now. This was the last straw…

"2D NO!" She shouted. She knew his black eyes darted from Murdoc to her from the slight jerk upward of his head. He glared at her, taking another step forward threateningly. Noodle frowned, if he didn't back down she'd have to fight him and she didn't know if she could wasn't sure if he could handle any kind of impact on his body.

"Move. Now." He said through clenched teeth. She shook her head but flinched when he through down the dagger, seething.

He glared at each of them individually, starting with Noodle, who was in his way to Russel, who would make him feel guilty about this whole fight somehow to Murdoc…who had destroyed his life.

Spitting blood on the floor he focused on all of them at once and growled, "I'm fuckin' done wit' all o' yeh." And walked out the door. Three of them watched him walk out his bedroom door and into the car park, staring after him in shock before Noodle got a hold of herself and chased after him. He was already three-quarters of the way to the car park bay door that led to the outside.

"'D! 2D, wait!" she called after him but he didn't stop, just dropped his head and shook it, continuing to walk away from her.

Noodle began to cry as she began to slow herself down, "2D!" she cried out.

"NO NOODLE!" he shouted, causing her to flinch and whimper from his harsh tone. He stopped too but didn't turn around, just stood with his back to her rigid and bloody.

"No Noodle," he said again loudly and Noodle watched him walk out the car park for good.

A/N: This is not a One Shot.♥♥♥


	2. Chapter 2

Left Behind

By: keep.your.groove.on.baby

Disclaimer: No.

A/N: Yay! I think this one's going to be one of my favy's too!

Chapter Two

The days went by slowly after that fateful day November; time was playing a cruel joke…acting as if it was going to stand still but never really stopping and never really speeding up. Just moseying on like a sick jokester. Noodle avoided the car park for almost a year after the incident, bypassing it any way she could and even risking her own life by coming in through the front door and facing off with the zombies day in and day out. It didn't matter to her though, it felt good to take her anger out on anything and everything; she liked the looks people gave her as she waltzed down the street without a care in the world, her scythe slung over one shoulder like a hitchhikers pack. Hell, she had to get in and out of Kong safely didn't she? And she sure as hell wasn't about to leave her precious weapon by the gate: zombies weren't that dumb.

After their abused singer walked out of Kong Studios and out of their lives, Noodle and Russel quickly discovered what had exploded…it was 2D's car…the blue Camaro. Russel had hung his head in shame while Noodle gawked at the burning inferno that was the singer's precious car. Murdoc had stumbled out of 2D's room and collapsed in front of the door, the last time either Russel or Noodle saw the bassist until several months later. It had taken nearly losing one of his arms for Russel to calm down Noodle enough so he could get _her_ scythe out of her hands so she wouldn't kill the bassist. She had snarled at him and claimed that punishment was due but the drummer just shook his head slowly and said, "We already lost 'D, we can't lose Muds, too. Then we'll be nothing anymore." Noodle had dropped the scythe and collapsed into the drummer's arms, screaming to high heaven that "it wasn't fair," over and over again. Russel just patted the young guitarist's head against his chest, rocking her back and forth.

It took Murdoc almost two whole days to recover from the beating Russel had given him. Recover enough so that he could stand from where he collapsed, that is. Once on his feet the bassist stumbled towards the lift with the mindset to give the drummer a piece of his mind. He managed to support himself with one arm against the wall while he leaned over and pushed the button to call the lift. With his head down the bassist waited for the lift but zoned out, not hearing the doors open. When he lifted his head all he saw was a black fist coming towards his face before he was knocked on the ground again. Blood flowing heavily from his nose, the bassist stared at the car park ceiling as Russel walked out of the lift and stood over him, glaring down at him.

"I'm lockin' every entrance from the car park to the upstairs. Call me when you clean this mess up. Until then don't bother trying to talk to Noodle or myself," and with that the large drummer walked away from the fallen Satanist and back upstairs. Once upstairs he disabled the lift and informed Noodle that it wasn't functional and to stay away from the car park. She didn't respond, just looked away. Down in the car park Murdoc came to the heavy realization of what he had done and what it meant for his band. None of them were replaceable, especially 2D. The singer was the total image of Gorillaz, an image that couldn't be replaced by a phony. Also, that sound…that sound that only 2D could make and pull off, that sound was the melody that lifted their fans off their feet and made their bodies sway and their hearts soar. He couldn't replace that…and now he understood how great of an error he made. His band mates were too valuable to risk losing, and Murdoc pushed 2D to the point of snapping, and now he'll never come back.

Murdoc stayed in the car park for almost a year until Russel got a call on Noodle's birthday. Noodle had requested they not celebrate and she didn't explain why, just sulked off to her room to be alone with her memories and her tears. She didn't have to explain why she didn't want to celebrate, Russel knew. They weren't a family anymore, all of them felt widowed somehow due to such a great loss. However while sitting in his room with his headphones on, the large drummer felt something vibrate in his pocket and discovered it to be his phone. He raised an eyebrow curiously at the caller but answered.

"What?" he asked. A voice on the other end spoke quickly and Russel's face lit up with surprise and delight from what was said.

"Alright, man. Be down in a second. Yea, yea, let me go get her." And with that the drummer hung up the phone and grinned happily for the first time in almost a year. He left his room and walked down the hallway into the lobby and into another hallway before reaching Noodle's door and knocking excitedly. In almost the same instant to opening the door, Noodle was being dragged downstairs by the drummer with no explanation to where they were going. When she saw that he was taking her towards the car park door the young guitarist quirked her brow in confusion. Had he not told her to stay away from here? After unlocking the door, Russel opened it and stepped inside the car park in awe.

It was immaculate. Cleaner than how it had been when the incident happened. Noodle and Russel stared in awe, their eyes panning the entire car park from side to side. Blood stains were gone, broken glass was cleaned up, the blown up car was gone with a new one in its place—

Noodle was the first to gasp upon seeing the brand new car. It was exactly the same as the one Murdoc destroyed down to every last detail, even the color made Noodle reminisce on the singer's hair; it's vibrant color, the fresh scent it always seemed to have…

The pair couldn't find Murdoc so they walked together to the Winnebago, which was also cleaner on the outside, and knocked on the door. When there wasn't any answer, they let themselves in and found him past out on his clean bed. In fact…the entire inside of the mobile home was clean. Noodle walked timidly past the big drummer towards where the shirtless bassist lay face up on his bed, snoring loudly. Noodle tapped him on the arm, causing him to choke on his snore and slowly come to. Once he saw her he grinned sheepishly and mumbled, "Anything for you, love," before falling back asleep.

Ever since that day the three remaining band members remained close with each other, grasping tightly onto all that they had left. The years rolled on with small, local gigs here and there; the papers still interested in their missing singer but no longer interested in it as a front page story. Life moved on but that emptiness never went away and no matter how hard they tried that gap was never filled.

Present Day, 2010

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" shouted a young woman as she stumbled around her room, her hair done and stick straight but wearing only a bra and thong. Clothes were strewn all over a well lit room as the woman snarled angrily, flinging clothes around desperately.

"This is ridiculous! Not a single pair!" she screeched. She stopped throwing her clothes around long enough to look at the wreckage she had created. Her shoulders slumped as she gawked around her room. She had completely ripped apart her closet, all of her clothes from the closet, and dresser drawers thrown all over the room…and she couldn't find a single pair of blue jeans. Clenching her teeth the guitarist screamed at the top of her lungs.

"RUSSEL! MURDOC!"

Russel and Murdoc both flinched from where they were across the corridor in the kitchen; Russel cleaning the dishes and Murdoc reading the paper. Since…the incident, Murdoc had been spending more time upstairs rather than holing himself up in his Winnebago. After four years he actually began to enjoy the company of other people and occasionally would even sleep on the couch in the living room. Upon hearing Noodle's angry shout, though, Russel put his hand over his chest, breathing deeply as Murdoc cursed from dropping his cigarette on the newspaper, burning a hole in it and causing the cigarette to fall in his lap. After finally grabbing the cigarette and putting it out in the ashtray, the bassist folded up the paper, sharing a concerned look with the panicked drummer and stood, following Russel across the hallway. Glancing back at the bassist as if to say 'It was great knowin' ya man' Russel gently knocked on the door to the Japanese guitarist's room.

"Come. In." They heard her snarl from the other side of the door. Both of them winced slightly upon hearing this, Russel gently opened the door, gasping slightly as he stepped inside, letting Murdoc in behind him. Her room was covered from corner to corner with her clothes and in the center of it all stood Noodle, wearing only a bra, panties, and an angry glare. Russel glanced back at Murdoc again before clearing his throat.

"You alright baby girl?" he asked timidly, watching her carefully as she seethed in the middle of her room. This was a very, very unstable girl. For four years her moods have fluctuated from good, to bad, to worse and back to good within the blink of an eye. It was as if she was constantly irritated about something and nothing could appease her when she became upset.

Suddenly Noodle sobbed, covering her face with her hands with a groan, "I have a charity performance in less than an hour with Shaun Ryder and I cannot find a single pair of my pants! Not one!" She exclaimed, holding up her index finger.

Murdoc's eyes widened and he bolted out of the bedroom, across the hall into the kitchen, tearing open the dryer and pulling out an armful of blue jean pants. Noodle's eyes widened upon seeing this, the left one twitching slightly as Murdoc came bursting back into the room, past the dumbfounded drummer and up to Noodle, plopping the warm blue jeans down at her feet. Noodle's mouth started to twitch as she stared at the breathless bassist, standing before her, until finally she burst out laughing. Murdoc sighed with relief upon seeing this and laughed sheepishly, the drummer behind both of them chuckling.

Noodle sighed once she stopped laughing, "Did you wash all of my pants, Murdoc?" she asked.

The bassist nodded, "I rememba' yeh sayin' somethin' about yo' pants bein' dirty an' needin' a clean pair for yo' performance so I washed 'em all fo' yeh so yeh'd 'ave a variety to choose from." He said sheepishly.

Noodle giggled, her eyes immediately scanning the pile of pants in front of her then lighting up when she found a light, faded pair of flares and snatched them up and wiggled herself into them before smiling brightly and giving the confused bassist a hug.

"Thank you Murdoc! I appreciate it!" She said with another award-winning smile. The Satanist grinned, a little confused before backing out of the room with Russel.

"We'll be in the living room...when yo' ready love." He said before shutting the door. He paused with his hand on the door before shaking his head and following Russel into the living room. "'at girl's startin' to worry me, Russ." The bassist said, plopping down next to the large drummer on their sofa. Russel grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, "Well, what do yo' wana do about it?" He questioned, glancing knowingly at the confused man. Murdoc snorted.

"Not a damn thing mate…not a damn thing." He said, focusing his attention on the TV.

Inside her room, Noodle slid on a black, form-fitting shirt, adjusting it around her newly acquired bust as she examined herself in the mirror. She frowned at her reflection. The plain shirt and blue jeans was a bit boring but this was one of the few shirts that showed off the fact that the Gorillaz guitarist had in fact grown from what appeared to be a little boy to where she was now: a young woman.

Noodle stared at the plain shirt, "Maybe a low necklace would help." She said to herself. Noodle spun around and walked over to her dresser where her small jewelry box was. She picked up the box and was about to open it when she realized something she'd completely forgotten.

Noodle never wore jewelry. Her ears weren't even pierced. She had one piece of jewelry that was, indeed, a necklace. Noodle's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly: she hadn't worn it…in four years.

2D had given it to her after the debut of her first single, DARE. It was a custom made necklace, but gorgeously casual. The charm, a wooden kanji symbol of the word 'DARE' hung from a long, black satin ribbon that came together at the back with two clasps that were sewn onto the tips of the ribbon. 2D had the charm made but the ribbon he'd thought of himself, sewing the clasps on there himself, which was a feat in itself since no one knew the singer could do something constructive with a needle and thread.

Noodle sighed. Out of anger she had taken off the necklace and put it in the box, turning her back on the gift and vowing to never wear it again because of what 2D had done. Not only had he become a father and was too ignorant to have the decency to tell his family, his band mates, his friends; he had completely snapped and abandoned them, especially Noodle who was beginning to discover her 'feelings' for the blue-haired singer.

The guitarist shook her head and decided to bite the bullet, putting the necklace on over her head, and walking slowly to examine herself in the mirror. She sighed again; the necklace looked perfect against the black, cotton top she wore. Perfect. The charm hung right below the swell of her breasts, swinging independently in the air and barely touching her abdomen. Noodle pursed her lips, grabbing her makeup bag without taking her eyes off her reflection the mirror. _Curse that bastard for leaving like that;_ she thought bitterly, removing the cap to her black eyeliner that no one would see due to her long bangs.

She didn't hate 2D for leaving; Lord knows anybody would snap after years of abuse, but the singer had snapped _at all of them_ and left without any explanation. Noodle frowned at the thought. It was as if the singer had been mad at all of them for what had happened to him. No doubt Noodle and Russel had been pissed at Murdoc for almost killing their singer but it was like 2D was angry at them for—

"Never stopping him before…" Noodle whispered to her wide-eyed reflection. Of course 2D snapped! None of them ever discouraged Murdoc from taking his anger out on the singer; they just turned their heads away and pretended like everything was normal.

Noodle bit her lip at the realization and mentally cursed herself for being so ignorant. Four years and she was just now realizing this crucial information? Stupid.

Suddenly the guitarist heard shouts coming from down the hallway and her eyes widened in fear, shouts of terror and pain reminding her of memories from long ago. Her muscles tensed as she prepared herself to bolt out her door but she heard laughter coming from the living room. She sighed, closing her eyes for a minute to relax herself. _It's just the TV,_ she thought, _nothing worth checking._

Noodle glanced at her alarm clock and swore, she had half an hour to get to the mall where this charity performance was being held. She finished her eyeliner on both eyes and retrieved her mascara, quickly brushing her lashes to their full length. She frowned, though, when the voices of her band mates continued at a higher volume. What the hell were they so uptight about? She rolled her eyes, ignoring the drummer and the bassist and walking into her bathroom to brush her teeth before she left. She glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled. She didn't look half bad, good enough for a performance.

She quickly brushed her teeth, threw on her shoes and grabbed her keyboard along with her phone and her car keys. Noodle paused, though, and stared at her car keys. She should probably take the Geep to keep up the Gorillaz image. Tossing her keys on her bed, Noodle shoved her phone in her back pocket and opened her door, walking briskly down the hall into the living room.

"Hey Murdoc, can I take the Geep to the show so I can—" Noodle looked up from her keyboard when she walked into the living room and stopped short, her mouth gaping open and her eyes wide.

Standing with an ecstatic Russel and Murdoc was the love of her life and their long lost singer, 2D. Her keyboard slipped from her hands and fell to the floor with a crash as she stood in awe, staring at the blue-haired man who had walked out on them four years ago. The three men jumped slightly at the crash but 2D just smiled at her.

"'ello love." He said casually.

Noodle frowned, taking a step back into the doorframe, gripping it to keep herself standing. She couldn't believe it. Four years without a single damn word and then all of sudden out of the blue there he is standing in her living room, looking exactly as he did when he left, minus the blood, gashes and torn clothes. She did, however notice a scar on his forehead from the scythe wound.

"Wh-what're you doing here?" she whispered, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

He shrugged, taking a step towards her in which Noodle automatically tried to take a step back into the doorframe, her heart starting to race as she felt cornered.

"I jus' needed some time to recover and then I decided to come back." He said, clapping a hand on Murdoc's shoulder with a grin that the bassist returned gratefully.

Noodle pursed her lips, continuing to frown. This was unbelievable. She didn't know whether to pick up her keyboard and throw it at him or bolt at the door. She could almost feel the anger coursing through her veins at the mere sight of him.

"Where'd you go 'D?" she hissed, "Did you go play 'daddy' to all of your bastard children?"

All three of the men standing before her widened their eyes in shock, the drummer and the bassist glancing questioningly at a confused 2D. He shook his head in disbelief, "'ow….'ow'd yeh know?" he whispered.

Noodle dropped her head to hide her face, her eye closing to fight the tears that threatened to fall and destroy her makeup. She sniffed, "I don't have time for this. Murdoc I need to the keys to the Geep. I'm going to be late for my show."

Russel shook his head, "Wait, hold on a minute baby girl I think we can cancel a performance. I mean…'D's back!" he said with a grin which quickly faded into a confused frown, "I thought that's what you wanted, baby."

Noodle didn't respond but slid down the molding of the doorframe, gently grabbing her keyboard and slowly standing back up, "No, Russ," she whispered, "what I wanted was for him not to leave in the first place. Murdoc, the keys please," Noodle said again. 2D frowned and glanced back at Murdoc who was numbly fishing the Geep keys out of his pocket. Once free from his pants pocket 2D gently grabbed the keys from the bassist, "I'll take her."

Noodle's eyes widened and her nostrils flared but 2D cut her off with a glare that shocked the hell out of her before she could open her mouth to argue. He stalked towards her, standing in front of her with an angry glare, "Shall we?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow mockingly and holding his arm out towards the lift at the end of the hallway. Noodle glanced at Russel and Murdoc, who only stared at the two dumbfounded before rolling her eyes and walking past the singer, down the hallway and to the lift, the door opening for her the moment she pushed the button and slowly entering the elevator, ignoring the singer as he got on with her and pushed to button that would take them to the car park. The doors closed and 2D glanced angrily at her, Noodle looking away from him with a slight blush from the scrutiny.

"So yo' not even 'appy to see me? After four years?" He asked her, breaking the tension in the tiny space.

Noodle snapped her head at him, scowling, "How could you keep something like that from us? And then walk out on us like what happened was mine and Russel's fault!"

He glared back at her, "The kids are none o' yo' business, love, and explain to me why you and Russ let such abuse continue for so fuckin' long?" He spat sarcastically. Noodle looked away, biting her lip. That's what she had realized before. It _was_ their fault the usually gentle singer had snapped when the abuse reached its worse. She couldn't argue with that.

The lift bounced as it reached the level for the car park and the doors slid open slowly, Noodle shooting one last glance at the angry singer before exiting the lift, 2D close behind her. She walked past 2D's new car that Murdoc had blown up and then replaced and she heard his footsteps stop and a low chuckle come from behind her.

"'ow 'bout we take my car? I 'aven't been in this thing in so long…" she heard him say. Noodle stopped, her shoulders sagging in defeat. She wanted nothing more than to ride in his car…or run up to him and hug him forever, but she was too stubborn for that. She wanted him to suffer like she did. Turning around she sighed, "The Geep is one of the few symbols of "Gorillaz." I'm trying to keep up appearances since we haven't been able to perform as a band, thanks to you. You can follow me in your car, but I'm taking the Geep." She said stubbornly.

2D frowned, raising his eyebrow questioningly, "Since when can you drive?"

Noodle glared levelly at him, "I'm eighteen, 'D. I have my own car. Now please give me the keys so I'm not late to my performance," She spat. He clenched his teeth angrily, taking one last look at his beloved car before walking up to her, glaring as he past her towards where the Geep was parked.

"I'm driving," he hissed as he passed her. Noodle bit her lip, her grip tightening on the keyboard in her hands as she turned around and stalked behind him angrily. This isn't what she wanted. She didn't want to argue with him the moment he showed his face, he'd think she hated him and then never bother with her from here on. Noodle sighed sadly as 2D climbed in the driver's seat of their famed Geep. She soon followed suit and climbed into the passenger seat, setting her keyboard at her feet and putting her seatbelt on without a word. 2D didn't address her either, just started the Geep and put it in gear, driving carefully out of the car park and into the afternoon sun, both of them squinting.

The drive was silent and tense; Noodle kept glancing awkwardly at 2D who drove with a scowl. She wanted to do something, anything to let him know she wasn't angry with him and that she had missed him. Glancing down she noticed his right hand resting on the gear shifter, his fingers poised right in front of the CD player and tapping a button occasionally when a song came on he didn't want to hear. Since this was Murdoc's car the only thing playing was their albums and Demon Days was on. 2D went through the track, listening to a small piece of each song before skipping it and moving onto the next song. Noodle's ears perked up when she heard DARE come on and she noticed his fingers move away from the CD player and relax. She smiled softly at this, and gently reached over, placing her hand on top of his and squeezing gently.

"I did miss you…2D," she said above the wind, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She glanced from her hand to him and was relieved to see that his expression had relaxed. Without taking her eyes off his face she felt him take his hand off the stick and entwine his fingers with hers.

She smiled and he glanced at her, rewarding her with a small smile of his own, "We have a lot to talk about," he said with a wink. Noodle nodded, biting her lip and focusing her attention on the road ahead of them. She felt herself blushing slightly and felt like she was going to get scolded when they talked. She mentally shook the thought away…that's ridiculous. 2D may have snapped but he wasn't angry with her. Noodle glanced at their fingers and blushed even more…maybe there was something she didn't know.

They pulled up to the mall and there were already fans lining filling the parking lots. Police escorted them and directed them to a safe entrance at the back of the mall. As they drove past hundreds of fans, people gawked at the blue-haired singer that had practically returned from the dead and the cheers grew even louder.

Noodle snorted, "I'm not the only one that missed you Stuart Pot."

He smirked and squeezed her hand, glancing at her, "You're the one that matters most though," he said matter-of-factly, before turning his attention back to the police car in front of them, not catching the small gasp that came from the blushing guitarist next to him.

Noodle's eyes widened, there was definitely something she didn't know.

A/N: A bit shorter than the first but I'm getting lazy. I still need to update 'Oh Child of Mine.' Hope you enjoyed!♥♥♥


	3. Chapter 3

Left Behind

By: keep.your.groove.on.baby

Disclaimer: No.

A/N: The lyrics to DARE and Every Planet We Reach is Dead are featured in this chapter. The lyrics are my own interpretation of what is being said so don't quote me for them being fact.

Chapter Three

The ground shook from the mass of people crowded into such a small area. The roar of excited fans made her heart pump harder, faster…stronger. Sweat dripped in between the valley of her breasts, her necklace swung back and forth in front of her pounding heart. Shallow, uneven gasps escaped from her chapped, parted lips; a pink tongue darting out to lick the lips before going back inside her mouth with a dry swallow. This happened every damn time she was about to perform or speak in front of a large crowd or just a small gathering; part of the consequences of being forced into the spot light at the age of ten. The singer she had always adored was the one to coo her out of whatever hiding spot she'd run to every time they had a performance and the echo of thousands of people would ring in her ears and frighten her.

She closed her eyes, wincing as the stage beneath her suddenly shook for a moment, the screams and shouts on the other side of a fabric curtain growing louder before dying down again. She swallowed again, a tiny amount of saliva going down her throat and relieving her parched mouth. The young guitarist cleared her throat to test her vocals, slightly hoping her voice would disappear so she could go home and curl into the fetal position on her bed and forget about this whole charity performance. She rolled her eyes at the thought, however, knowing that was selfish of her. This was for children all over Essex who suffered from disabled hearing. To the left and right of her there were two professionals in sign language so the hundreds of deaf children sitting in the front row could understand what she was saying. Also, Shaun, herself and all stage staff had been told that the music was going to be a little louder than usual so those who couldn't hear would be able to feel the beat of the music coursing through their bodies. She smiled, glad she was able to take part in something worthwhile for a change. She hoped since the Gorillaz singer was back they wouldn't stop doing charity performances, speeches or appearances. She liked helping people.

Her eyes widened suddenly as she felt hot breath against her neck as someone leaned in close from behind her to whisper in her ear. This wasn't just someone though, she knew whose cologne that was as the arousing scent wafted up her nostrils, her breaths quickening more than before, "You can do 'is, love. Jus' give it yo' all," a husky voice whispered to her as long skinny arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her against a hard body, the lips whispering in her ear getting closer, "I'll be watchin' yeh," the quick embrace ended and he pulled away from her, fading away, his footsteps melting into the noise that reminded her once again where she was and what she was doing. Her eyes darted around, trying to grasp on any light but she saw nothing. The stage was set, the curtain drawn, Shaun Ryder stood only a few feet away from her, facing the curtain and joking with a cute makeup artist.

Noodle sighed, straightening her spine with her arms behind her back and the back of her hands resting on her butt with her microphone tightly in her grip. Her features distorted into an angry scowl, _I wish you'd stop teasing me, you just got here and you're already starting in with me? Screw this…_ Noodle thought as she recollected on the lanky singer that had been teasing her ever since she had changed her façade in the car and started being nice to him. Now he was playing with dangerous feelings and Noodle didn't know where she could take a safe step without this blowing up in her face. She was so confused she just wanted to smack herself in the head with her microphone as if that would solve all of her problems.

Exactly how far could she go with this? Because…2D had _children_. Kids with several women and he was failing to support them even though the blue-haired little twerps would probably never realize who their father was unless their mothers decided to take this to the paparazzi. Noodle sighed again…this was getting _weird_. This morning her biggest problem was twenty pairs of blue jeans that had mysteriously disappeared and then out of nowhere 2D is standing in her living room, joking and shooting a breeze with Russel and Murdoc like nothing else. And **then**, then the singer gets angry with her! What the fuck for? All she did was call him out on the carpet about his children out of wedlock. Besides…2D had never gotten angry with her before…what happened to him within four years that made him grow a back bone? Hopefully he won't take anything from Murdoc again…then again Murdoc probably won't make _that_ mistake again.

She suddenly flinched as the microphone nestled in her left ear and hidden underneath her hair buzzed to life and she heard the male voice of their stage director shouting commands into the microphone to everyone that had one, causing the guitarist to flinch and touch her ear tenderly. Hopefully the music won't be loud in her ear. Then she heard him say, "Awright, Noodle and Shaun should be the only ones on the stage! Places everyone! …Start the music," the music started playing loudly in the speakers around the stage in sync with the one in her ear and she sighed a sigh of relief when the music blaring in the speakers wasn't blaring as loudly as the microphone in her ear. Then the stage director shouted, "and…draw the curtain!" Noodle's eyes opened and focused on a spot on the wall in front of her as light began to stream into the area where she stood as the curtain was drawn, revealing her back to the fans while Shaun stood facing them.

Noodle's grip on the microphone in her hand tightened as she listened to the slow swoosh sound of the curtains being pulled back, the girl Shaun was talking to scuttling off the stage with a slap on the rear and an annoying giggle. She heard the older man snicker and clear his throat before singing the opening lines of her first single:

"_It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's DARE!"_

Noodle spun around, her eyes quickly scanning the large mass of people cramped into the small shopping mall. While doing so, she tilted her head to the side and dipped it down at the same time, her chest moving out and one of her arms going out to the side with the other held the microphone up to her mouth as she sang: _"Ooo!"_

The beat of the music started getting faster and Noodle began moving her hips to the beat, her lips spreading wide in a toothy smile as the fans erupted in screams for their favorite guitarist. Noodle glanced at Shaun who winked back at her, singing 'It's DARE' right before Noodle's part came in. She smiled and walked closer to the edge of the stage, gates and police separating the throng of deaf fans from her person. She stopped moving as the music slowed down and she stood at the very edge of the stage, her legs spread apart.

"_It's DARE!"_

"_Oooooh."_

"_You got to press it on you. You just, think it, that's what you do, baby! Hold it down, DARE!"_

Noodle smiled again at the shouts and began strutting across the stage, singing and dancing.

"_Jump with them all and move it, jump back and forth; it feels like you would there yourself work it out."_

She moved her body to the rhythm of the music, her hips swaying gently to the steady beat as she imagined Russel on the drums, pounding away.

"_Never did no harm, never did no harm!" _Shaun started singing again and she turned herself around so her backside was facing the fans and she did her copyrighted dance move, shaking her rear back and forth and bending her legs with the beat. She smiled and laughed as this caused the fans to scream and cheer even louder.

"_It's DARE!_ _It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's DARE!"_

"_Ooo!"_

Noodle turned around and sang with Shaun, her eyes, though hidden beneath her bangs, scanning the crowd for certain, blue spikes.

"_You got to press it on you. You just, think it, that's what you do, baby! Hold it down, DARE!"_

"_Jump with them all, and move it, jump back and forth; it feels like you would there yourself work it out!_

Midway through roaming the crowd, Noodle almost snorted into the microphone, interrupting her song. Of course he wasn't going to be in the crowd! He'd be mobbed and then the performance would have to be stopped. He was probably escorted somewhere to watch.

"_Never did no harm! Never did no harm! It's DARE! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin' up! It's comin up! It's DARE!"_

"_Ooo!"_

She mentally shrugged the thought away and continued singing, silently reveling in the fact that her secret "crush" was standing somewhere watching her.

"_You got to press it on you. You just, think it, that's what you do, baby! Hold it down, DARE!"_

At this point Noodle recognized her cue from the song and turned away from Shaun and slowly walked over to the side of the stage where her keyboard had been laid down for her so she could play it live.

"_Jump with them all, and move it, jump back and forth; it feels like you would there yourself work it out!_

Using her foot and her free hand, she picked up the keyboard, cradling it in her arm that held the microphone, her free hand poised to play the notes 2D had taught her to play.

Noodle winced, grateful her hair was covering most of her face. Why did she keep thinking about him? Her fingers automatically struck the keyboard in her arms when she heard her cue from the song and she bounced her rear again like she did when making the video.

"_You got to press it on you. You just, think it, that's what you do, baby! Hold it down, DARE!"_

"_Jump with them all, and move it, jump back and forth; it feels like you would there yourself work it out!_

Shaun smiled and waved at the crowd, signaling the end to his vocals in the song and backing away from the stage while Noodle continued to dance around and play her keyboard. When her back was turned away from the crowd for a split second she licked her lips, grateful that the singing part of her song was over. Now all she had to do was…woo the fans, play a little bit more of the keyboard and shake her ass like the fourteen year old that she used to be. No biggie. However the guitarist blushed suddenly when she remembered who was watching her every move like a hawk. The blush traveled down her cheeks to her neck and then suddenly her loins started to tingle, causing her to flinch and almost drop her keyboard. Luckily for Noodle, the song ended and she recovered somewhat gracefully with a smile and bow, waving her hand as she backed away from the front of the stage. The screams shook the very foundation of the mall, and Noodle could see tears in the eyes of the deaf that sat front row, their hands held high above their heads as they screamed for her and cried in joy. Noodle paused her backwards walk and watched the fans. They screamed even louder as she stood there motionless watching them watch her. She grinned, waving her hand in the air again, causing more screams. This is what she wanted, what she missed so much the past four years. They should have had another album out by now and the performances should have started racking up again, touring and everything. The bitterness that enveloped her and made her blame 2D for leaving was quickly swept away by the relief that he was indeed back again and they could start their lives over again and do what they did best. Gorillaz couldn't survive with missing pieces; pieces that couldn't be replaced by anyone or anything.

With another bow and a wave, Noodle disappeared with keyboard and microphone in hand behind the stage, a swarm of people surrounding her at once, all of them talking to each other or to her, but talking nonetheless and began to remove her microphone and the wiring that was on her. One woman dabbed her face with a cold, wet wash cloth which Noodle flinched away from with a frown. The woman sighed and stood there, waiting for Noodle to cooperate, "Darlin' you look like a red beacon! That red face of yours can be seen from the back of the mall!"

Noodle didn't argue after that, realizing in horror that her blush had not gone away since it had happened. The woman dabbing her face was shooed away, though, by Noodle's makeup artist rushing up to her and pushing through the throng of people around her with an armful of tubes, boxes and brushes. "Excuse me! Excuse me! I need to get through! Excuse me!"

Noodle laughed softly as he made his way through with an outrageous sigh and started fumbling through everything in his arms; first getting a small stick of eyeliner out and coming towards her face. Noodle pulled away gently, a confused frown on her face, "Chance…what are you doing? My performance is over I need to get this stuff _off_ my face." He rolled his eyes at her and came at her with the eyeliner again. When Noodle pulled away a second time he sighed, frowning at her, "You're goin' back _out there_, dearest, didn't you know that! Jesus help this poor man I just can't take celebrities anymore…"

Noodle flinched back, her mouth dropping open, "Going back out there! Why would I do that? My performance is over, I'm going to go sit down and listen to the chairman of this charity foundation make a speech and then I'm leaving!" Chance rolled his eyes again, "Celebrities…" he murmured, applying the eyeliner to Noodle's dumbfounded face. Suddenly her surroundings became crystal clear while Chance touched up her makeup. Nobody had taken off her wires and it was her _keyboard_ they had taken, not her microphone. _Damnit_, the guitarist thought irritably, _We're paying **them** for this, don't tell me they're gona make me perform again._

Chance ducked his head down to move closer to Noodle's mouth as he applied that lip inflating gloss that Noodle hated because it stung, when the Axe Princess noticed that damned blue-haired singer strutting across the back stage towards her, smugly. Noodle gritted her teeth irritably, sensing the worst and earning an annoyed whine from Chance, telling her to stop moving. Noodle's eyes narrowed, although she was slightly thankful 2D couldn't see her eyes because she didn't want to give away the fact that she was angry. He stopped once he was behind Chance as he watched the gay man reapply what little makeup the guitarist had on. However when he moved to Noodle's side to check her profile, the makeup artist saw 2D and completely fell over himself, "Ooh! 'D…is…is there anything wrong with your makeup? I know I just did it only a few minutes ago but you know these things happen and if you need me to touch anything up I'll be happy to even though this stupid charity isn't paying me but regardless of money you know where my loyalty lies!" 2D just smiled, though his eyes never left Noodle's face, "No, thank you, Chance. I'm just waiting for Noodle to get done so we can go back onstage."

Noodle's eyes widened but before she could retort with anything Chance started gushing again, "Ooh! Ooh, well I'm done with our little Noodle here, 'D so you just go right on ahead ok! Again let me know if there is _anything_ you need," the makeup artist said with a suggestive wink, backing away slowly. Once the gay man was completely out of range Noodle cleared her throat to speak, "What are we doing?" she asked between clenched teeth. 2D grinned that grin that made _everyone_, male or female go weak in the knees, and unfortunately it worked ten fold on Noodle. He walked closer to her and leaned in close to her left ear. Noodle gasped before she could control herself and she heard him chuckle in her ear, "I made a…slight contribution to this charity and they agreed to let us perform again."

"Us?" she hissed silently. 2D smirked and nodded when both of them were interrupted in their precarious position by the chairman of the charity speaking on stage, "Ladies and gentlemen I have a very special announcement to make. It seems that we have _another_ special guest here with us today from the band, Gorillaz…" that said, someone from staff grabbed both of their arms, breaking the tension, and dragging them to the curtain that led to the stage and pushing them towards the opening, whispering, "That's your cue!" Noodle trembled slightly; she wasn't prepared to go back out there again but her body shook with one last tremor when 2D wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders and walked out onto the stage with her. The screams that erupted could have cracked the Richter scale without a problem. The children and teenagers sitting in the front, who had been docile and somewhat calm while Noodle had performed, now put the police to good use; fighting them to get to the stage. People rushed towards the stage in a clustered frenzy even though from where they stood the fans barely moved six inches. Noodle bit her lip, hoping it would go unnoticed to everyone watching them and tried to look somewhat excited. The chairman chuckled and held an arm out welcomingly for them as they walked towards him to the front of the stage. Noodle began to blush again as she became even more aware of 2D's arms still wrapped around her. What were people going to think?

Once they were next to the chairman, the old man clapped 2D on the back in a warm gesture, smiling at him before turning back to the crowd, "Now, now calm down everyone! I know what the fuss is all about," he held his arm out again, indicating 2D with another smile, "The long lost singer from Gorillaz has requested that I let him sing for us. What do you think?" He asked looking out into the crowd of people falling over each other just to get a few feet closer to the stage so their eyes could see what the mind refused to believe. After several more ground shaking screams and shouts the chairman chuckled and slowly backed away, "Ladies and gentleman, may I present to you once again, Noodle and 2D from the Gorillaz!" the chairman backed away from them but not before handing 2D the microphone he was holding.

More and more screams, Noodle faked a smile, leaning in slightly to whisper to 2D, who still hadn't let go of her, "What are we singing? Feel Good Inc.? I don't have my guitar!" she wanted more than anything to say 'idiot' but, again, she didn't want to screw things up with the singer, especially on stage in front of at least a million people. 2D smiled at her, letting go of her as two stools were brought out for them by the stage staff. Noodle just stared at him dumbfounded as he positioned himself comfortably on the stool, one leg on a higher peg than the other and, not unnoticeably pulled the stool meant for Noodle closer to his. Noodle closed her eyes with a sigh, giving up the fight for confusion for now and positioned herself with a little more difficulty than the tall singer onto the stool, facing him with a slight blush when their knees knocked together. Once they were situated the staff started the song they were going to perform, a song Noodle's trained ears instantly recognized with a whispered, 'Oh, no.' 2D smiled at her again and winked, causing the guitarist to frown slightly. She was getting a little tired of his smug attitude and his confidence. She was used to having the upper hand and suddenly 2D walked around with this newly gained air of confidence, leaving Noodle in the dust to pick up the pieces so she could put something together that she didn't even know what it was.

The song was Every Planet We Reach is Dead, off their second album, and Noodle realized with bubbling embarrassment that this wasn't a duo of any kind. Hell, the only song that had two members of the band singing at the same time was Feel Good Inc. and that needed all four members to perform plus De La Soul. So, Noodle realized with a blush and a dip of her head that 2D was actually going to sing _to_ her, not with her. 2D clapped his free hand on his thigh to the beat of the song, his head slightly bobbing as he scanned over the crowd of people before the lyrics of the song started. Noodle sighed again, flipping her microphone off for the moment and placing it in lap with her hands covering it. When she looked up again, moments before the lyrics began for the song, 2D was staring at her, but this time with a softer smile; a smile that originated in his eyes and then moved to his lips. A smile that earned a small, whispered gasp from Noodle as she stared back at him. This smile was the 2D she remembered; the gentle, kind, no-care-in-the-world 2D that walked around with this same gentle smile on his face. Then 2D raised the microphone to his lips and began to sing:

"_I lost my leg, like I lost my way. So no loose ends and nothing to see me down. How are we going to work this out?"_

The blue-haired singer continued to sync his hand on his thigh with the rhythm of the beat, his head bobbing slightly. Noodle licked her lips nervously, feeling like she was stumbling through a maze in the pitch black. Why was he doing this? He just returned and he's doing something Noodle ever expected him to do on such an intimate level, especially in front of so many people.

"_Dreams all bad, a head turned mad. I love the girl," _At this part in the song, 2D did the unthinkable and grabbed Noodle's hand, folding his over hers with a gentle squeeze, his voice never wavering or pausing while he did this even though Noodle's eyes widened in horror and her cheeks flushed dangerously. _Now _she was confused. How else was she supposed to interpret that? "_but God only knows it's getting hard to see the sun coming through. I love you…but what are we going to do?"_

Noodle remembered the words to a song that became a favorite of hers years after its shine in the spotlight. The very moment she was living was expressed almost crystal clear by the voice of the woman. The guitarist licked her lips as the words played through her mind in sync with 2D's luscious voice in a crude, yet romantically beautiful symphony:

"_Strummin' my pain with his fingers, singin' my life with his words, killin' me softly with his song…killin' me softly…"_

"_Picture I'm a dreamer, I'll take you deeper down to the sleepy glow. Time is a low, don't you know? What are we going to do?_

It was kind of sick…it really was. Suddenly, completely out of the blue, the man Noodle had started to adore more than just a friend but secretly betrayed her by fathering children out of wedlock comes back into her life…just out of nowhere. And now…now he's singing a love song to her…a song Noodle never gave a second thought to as a meaningful love song. Like a waterfall breaking over a cliff, different emotions that fluctuated from joyful to heartbroken to outraged crashed into her. She hadn't been prepared for this kind of event in her life and suddenly she was back in the FedEx crate that she came in, lost and alone in a dark, dank box. Noodle licked her lips again, painfully aware of 2D's hand entwined with hers; gentle squeezes testifying to the fact every now and then. Also the sweat beading at her temples and slowly dripping down the sides of her face in front of her ears and gathering at the bottom of her jaw, tickling the skin. For a split second, the panicked guitarist could have sworn there was a damn dog panting near her head but quickly realized it was her own breathing whistling in and out of her own lips for only her to hear. This couldn't be good, Noodle felt backed into a corner for a second time that day and instead of 2D, Russel and Murdoc closing in on her, over a million people were involuntarily weighing in on the poor Axe Princess's little frame. Noodle's eyes, which had been focused on everything all at once began to slowly settle down as she heard the last few lines of the song and she audibly heard her heart slow into a lulled pump.

"_When we go down all this sickness out in space all it doesn't fall in it's so you, I love you…but what are we going to do?"_

This is the point where Noodle's body relaxed into an almost comatose state and her mind spaced out as the rest of the song finished. The chairman didn't wait for the instrumental ending of the song to finish but instead walked out onto the stage applauding, the music fading around them as he came closer. The audience applauded in awe of what they had just witnessed. Noodle didn't notice though. Everything started to blur together into one moment, suddenly her microphone was flicked back on, the stage director was talking to her through her microphone, and assumingly 2D as well, and telling them that instead of sitting somewhere else for the chairman's speech they were going to stay on stage. Every now and then Noodle registered a gentle pressure on her hand as 2D squeezed her hand. The chairman spoke on and on about the millions of dollars they received from this one event and thanking every one who contributed, Noodle barely noticed that the chairman kept turning around to 2D and smiling with a wink, thanking him continuously. Before Noodle could fully process what was going on around her, 2D had picked her up off the stool and set her down gently on her feet and was leading her unresponsive body away from the dying screams and cries into the back stage area where they were both rushed with staff disassembling wiring from their clothing, taking their microphones, Noodle's keyboard shoved back into her hands and Chance running up excitedly to remove all of their makeup.

It all went by in a smear of time, people speaking to her but her mind not responding. After a few worried glances and shrugs they left her alone and moved on to 2D, questioning him on his travels and why he left. He didn't answer any of them, but instead kept his body positioned behind Noodle's and his hands on her elbows, pushing her with a slight waddle out of the throng of people back stage where they were escorted by police out a different exit from the mall to their Geep and then escorted out of the parking lot. As police surrounded the Geep, 2D left Noodle on the passenger side and began to walk to the driver's side when he noticed that she was still standing next to the door with her hand on the frame, her eyes staring off into space. The singer snickered to himself and walked back over, asking a police officer to open the door while the 2D picked the comatose, lightweight Noodle up bridal style and sat her in the passenger seat, saluting the officer with a grin and jogging over to the driver's side. Noodle's eyes were wider now than ever, her mind still registering 2D's arms on her body as he picked her up. While leaving, people threw flowers at them as they drove by, which reminded Noodle with horror of a couple running out of the chapel past family and friends who threw petals over the bride and groom's heads. She frowned in demented realization, thinking that the groom should never pick the bride up that way _before _the wedding…

The police escorts stayed with them right up until the houses on the side of the road stopped where the sidewalk started to crack and the road dipped down due to lack of repair; then they turned away out of sheer fear rather than lack of duty. Not even seconds after the sirens of their brave escort disappeared the gates of Kong Studios rose over them in a freaky welcome, 2D pausing momentarily as the gates slowly opened for him, the hinges squealing in protest. The singer glanced sideways at his silent companion with an arched brow. She still sat there, staring at everything ahead of her but staring at nothing at the same time, her body slump in the passenger seat, the only sign that she still lived being her hands clutching the cushion seat. 2D frowned and looked back to the driveway in front of him, driving along the electrically fenced in path that led to the car park. He didn't expect her to react this way, everything that had happened was wrong. He'd thought she'd be happy to see him but instead she spat out his deepest secret and scorned his return. Hoping to mend and reveal in the same breath, he sang to her but that only gave him the reaction she had now. The blue-haired singer just didn't understand why she was reacting this way towards him.

2D pulled into the Geep's usual parking spot next to the Winnebago and put it in park, turning off the Geep and leaning back with a sigh. However, in the same instant that he sighed, Noodle unbuckled herself, opened her door and bolted out of the car with her keyboard in hand in almost the same motion before 2D even realized what was going on. When his mind processed what had just happened, the singer spun around in his seat to see Noodle's retreating form already jabbing the button to call the lift with her finger, "Noodle!" he called, unbuckling himself in a frenzy and trying to get out of the Geep at the same time. By the time 2D got out of the vehicle without even slamming the door shut all he could see was the lift doors closing shut.

"Shit," he muttered, pushing the open door of the Geep shut and jogging past the lift to the stairwell, taking each step two at a time past the main level door up to the first floor door. 2D burst through the door once he reached the landing, earning a shriek once he stepped through the door from Noodle, who stood in front of him with her eyes wide like a deer trapped in the beams of a cars headlights, "How did you get up here so fast!" she whispered, shocked.

"I quit smokin'. Were yeh gona lock the door!" he questioned firmly. When Noodle didn't answer, but just stood there biting her lip he tilted his head to the side, staring at her as she stood in front of him like an animal about to fall victim to a predator. She looked absolutely terrified. He shook his head, "Noodle wot's wrong wit'—"

The guitarist shook her head and held up the keyboard defensively, some of her fingers raised, "'D I really can't talk about it now, I just need—"

"Well when _can_ yeh talk about it!" 2D snarled at her angrily, but instantly regretting it when he saw her flinch away from him in shock before her own resolve strengthened out of sheer defiance and she snarled back at him, "2D…don't think that just because you left for four years and grew a _backbone_ I'm going to stand here and let you walk all over me!" She shouted back at him.

"NOODLE!" A loud voice boomed at them, causing both the singer and the guitarist to flinch, the latter of the two shrinking away from the harsh tone like a scolded puppy. Standing in the doorway of the corridor was a very angry drummer, white eyes bearing down onto emerald ones threateningly. Behind him stood Murdoc, a cigarette in his hand and his elbow in the other, a concerned frown etched on his face as his gaze went back and forth between the guilty guitarist and the slightly fuming singer.

Noodle's ears picked up the whoosh sound of air escaping Russel's nostrils and she swallowed nervously, visibly shrinking under the powerful gaze. Eighteen years old she may be, but Noodle knew when to submit to her father figure, especially if he reprimanded her like a child. Russel inhaled and exhaled sharply before speaking to her, "He's not here a whole day and already yo' starting in with him. What the hell is wrong with you, girl!" Noodle dropped her gaze to the floor in full submission, licking her lips nervously and trying to think of something that could explain her reaction without…explaining her reaction.

"Um…I just…I just have a lot of things on my mind ok?" She said, glancing up at Russel before lowering her eyes again.

She heard him snort, "Is that the best you can come up with? You 'have a lot of things on yo' mind'?" She flinched from the scorn but stuck to her guns and straightened her spine, lifting her head and staring him dead in the eye, "Yea…that's all I got," Noodle said with a sigh, stepping forward and tiptoeing past Russel's large frame in the doorway and Murdoc who stood back observing, watching her walk down the hall and into her room where she shut her door and locked it, her music immediately blaring to cover up crying, screaming or objects breaking. Russel sighed and relaxed his tensed body, moving to the couch in the living room and plopping down, his head resting back on the cushion and his white eyes closed.

"Yeh quit smokin'?" Murdoc asked, breaking the tense silence in the living room. 2D sighed, his body relaxing as well from where he stood his ground in the door way. He patted his chest, "People in the ICU said I wosn't 'ealthy so I changed some things," he said maneuvering into the living room and sitting on the couch next to Russel as Murdoc disappeared into the hallway towards the kitchen before reappearing with three beers in his hands.

Russel peeked one eye open and glanced at 2D, "ICU? The hell were yo' doin' in the ICU?" 2D flinched, "Um…" he said waving his hand for emphasis and glancing nervously at Murdoc who sat down on the other side of Russel. Russel's eyes widened into a frown and his head whipped around to Murdoc with a glare. The confused bassist stared back and forth between the two before realization hit him and he dropped his head slightly, "Sorry mate…" he mumbled.

2D shrugged and grabbed a beer out of the bassist's hands, popping it open and taking a long swig, sighing happily, "No biggie," Russel snorted again, accepting a beer from Murdoc and opening his as well, drinking to their newly completed band and the return of their singer.

Noodle stood in her doorway, staring back and forth between the lift and the end of the corridor where the living room entrance was and the voices of her band mates echoed down the hall. Of all the times she used the lift she couldn't remember if Shaun's voice sounded if the lift was already at the level it was being called to. If that was the case, the doors wouldn't open until his voice stopped and then one of the guys would already be walking down the hall to stop her from leaving before she could close the lift doors. She sighed mentally and stepped out into the hallway, silently closing the door behind her and stood in front of the lift. In her hands were her car keys, her cell phone, her driver's license and a credit card. The last three getting shoved into her back pockets while she tried to silently juggle her keys. Glancing back towards the living room one last time before straightening her spine, Noodle took a deep breath and slowly pressed the button that called the lift. A loud ding caused Noodle to flinch, her eyes widening as the doors began to open, _loudly_.

"Shit," she muttered, her eyes widening even more in panic when she heard Russel call her name questioningly. Not bothering to answer, the young guitarist literally dove into the elevator, spinning around and pushing the button for the car park before looking down the hallway as the doors started to close.

Noodle gasped as her emerald eyes met black ones frowning at her from the end of the hallway. 2D stood and watched Noodle disappear from behind the lift doors before bolting towards the stairwell door, calling over his shoulder to Russel and Murdoc that he was going to talk to Noodle. The two other men just shrugged and flipped through the hundred channels on the television, both silently vowing to stay out of the situation.

Noodle's heart raced as the lift took an agonizingly long time to get to the car park and several different thoughts ran through the frightened girls head. What if 2D ran downstairs to meet her? What if he didn't? What if Russel ran downstairs? Could Russel accomplish that with his weight…? What if it was Murdoc trying to talk some sense into her with wisdom and a beer? She could use a beer…

The lift shook as it landed at the level for the car park by the time Noodle shook herself out of her reverie and the dinging sounded as the doors began to open. Noodle took one step towards the car park before stopping short, her eyes widening in panic and a frightened gasp escaping her lips. It was 2D standing before her, his arms crossed and an angry scowl painted on his face. Silently Noodle wished Russel had attempted the stairs or Murdoc was the one standing there with comforting words and a cold beer. But instead it was the one person she was actually afraid to confront at this point. In a split second, Noodle had attempted to reach for the close door button, but 2D lunged forward and grabbed her wrists, pulling her out of the lift before her fingers were even within five inches of the button. Noodle screamed as 2D pulled her out of the lift and hauled her over his left shoulder in the same instant.

Noodle shrieked and beat against his back with her fists like a child, "2D! Put me the fuck down! What the hell do you think you're doing!" She lifted her head up, shaking her hair out of her eyes to see that they were walking next to the car park wall but away from the lift. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, _Shit…he's taking me to his room…_

"I said yo' an' I need to talk," he growled, squeezing his forearm against the back of her thighs as he used the other arm to turn the knob on his door and opened it, stepping inside. Noodle's rib cage expanded painfully against the singer's shoulder as she panted. No way did she want to be in a room alone with _him_. She swore silently however when he kicked the door shut and locked it, turning back around and walking the few steps it took to reach his bed and plopping her down roughly on it. Noodle squeaked from the rough landing, lifting her head up to where he stood at his full height and glared at him. He glared back down at her, his height more imposing than the young guitarist was willing to let on, but she stood slowly, regardless of the lump in her throat, and stood to her full height, even though it didn't even match up to his.

Noodle glared at him, "I do NOT want to talk to you," she hissed backing away from him slowly towards the door, only to have 2D follow her, step for step, backing her towards the door. He snorted, smirking at her, "I'm not giving you a choice," he said huskily, stepping closer to her. Noodle frowned, her emotions speeding up just as they did on the stage earlier.

"What are you trying to do, 'D?" She asked accusingly, her back bumping into the door and her left hand reaching up slowly to find the lock. Her hand paused, however, when 2D stepped a little too close to her, his hands going on either side of her head and pressing against the door, his face dangerously close to hers. Noodle's eyes widened as she stared into his black ones, her lips parting on their own under his scrutiny.

"I'm tryin' to talk to yeh," he whispered innocently. The Axe Princess shook her head, breaking her trance and sighing, "No, no, I mean…I mean coming back out of nowhere? Huh? Whispering to me at my performance and then singing to me? What are you trying?" She asked again, her eyes pleading him.

2D sighed, dropping his head in between his arms so his blue spikes were only centimeters away from Noodle's face causing her to quickly close her eyes and lose herself in the sweet aroma that was 2D's hair. Her reverie was broken again by the sound of his voice and she opened her eyes to focus better on what he was saying and try her hardest to resist reaching up and touching his hair.

"…figured it wos obvious, love…" he said, lifting his head again and looking back into her now widened eyes.

Whether it was listing off what he had done that day or the fact that Noodle became aware of _how_ close 2D was to her she wasn't sure. But suddenly it was obvious what 2D was trying to do and Noodle's heart soared high into the sky before realization tackled into her and her dreams started to descend back to the plane where mortal men's dreams landed after attempting to fly.

Noodle's eyes narrowed as she glared at him, "And your children?" she hissed. 2D rolled his eyes and Noodle noticed regardless, causing her to bare her teeth angrily, "Love I told yeh not to worry 'bout 'at! It's in the past…"

Noodle exhaled sharply, shaking her head, "I can't even look at you right now, 'D. You've made a horrible mistake and all you can say is, 'It's in the past…'?" 2D stared at her in disbelief, his arms falling limply to his sides. Noodle calmly grabbed the opportunity and twisted the lock that her hand had been poised over, her hand slowly moving down to the doorknob and turning it so it opened. The door opened inward into 2D's room so Noodle had to step closer to a dumbfounded 2D, who refused to move, their bodies touching from her thighs to his torso. The contact between the intimate parts caused both of their eyes to widen fractionally before reverting back. Noodle licked her lips and whispered, "I've got to go," and fled his room into the car park to her car. 2D stared after in disbelief at what just happened. He went from having the upper hand to being left in the dark. Sighing, he grabbed his door and slowly shut it, locking it behind him.

Climbing into her car and starting the ignition, Noodle reached into her back pocket and pulled out her cell phone, flipping it open with one hand and using her other arm to wipe the tears away that fell down her cheeks. Sniffing, she blinked to focus on the lit screen as she scrolled through the phonebook, her thumb slamming into the call button the moment she saw the name she wanted to call. Stepping on the brake and shifting her car into gear, Noodle pulled out of the car park without looking back, her phone next to her ear as she listened to the phone ring.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on come on! …DeVonne! Hey it's Noodle. No, no I'm not alright, I need to talk to you desperately. Can you meet me at Pop's? Why not? …alright, I'll come to your place, bye," Noodle snapped the phone shut and pressed on her accelerator, speeding out of Kong Studios with the sniffles and tears already drying on her cheeks, leaving red stains.

A/N: I am so sorry this took so long! I've been painting and registering for class and switching jobs…it's hectic! Hope you enjoyed!♥♥♥


	4. Chapter 4

Left Behind

By: keep.your.groove.on.baby

Disclaimer: Nope.

Chapter Four

Noodle wasn't one to do something stupid in a critical moment. Generally, the Axe Princess thought her plan of action carefully and critically so as not to make any type of error. Of course any rational person would say the same thing but not really do that. Noodle, on the other hand, was more than just a rational girl. She was smarter than the average Jane and didn't like to go into anything, however major or minor the situation may be, unprepared. Take the charity performance. Several minutes back stage were devoted into bringing the nervous girl into an almost trance-like state just so she could survive the performance…at least the first one. So it is pretty safe to say that Noodle was a smart girl and always thought about her actions before acting upon them regardless of the situation.

_However…_

At this point Noodle wasn't thinking what some might call, _clearly_. She couldn't see very well either due to the onslaught of tears that came to her in bursts about the same time her emotions took a turn towards the negative, but that's not the case at the moment. No, at this point Noodle's soul concentration was on getting to her friend, DeVonne's, house. Both lanes in the road were Noodle's as far as she was concerned and she violated every traffic law that had ever been thought up as well as ones that Noodle, herself, probably invented on this road trip to the old woman's house.

DeVonne, whom Noodle has known ironically since she was ten, was the young guitarist's wax lady. Yes…that's another story altogether but to sum up the basic gist of it, Noodle's band mates were unsure of what type of people to assign to her in her contract with Virgin Records since Noodle at the time couldn't speak very much English let alone knew where she was or what she was doing there. So it was Murdoc's bright idea to give the young girl a wax artist after having sex with a prostitute that had been waxed clean in her nether regions as well as everywhere else. Thus a rather old woman named DeVonne, supposedly the best wax artist in Europe was assigned to Noodle, and even though the young Japanese guitarist had no idea why on earth her eyebrows, armpits, legs and bikini line were being waxed and threw a royal fit, the young girl was intrigued by the Italian woman's endless amounts of wisdom and advice. Granted Noodle didn't fully appreciate anything the old woman would say while waxing her until she learned English, but to Noodle, DeVonne's voice was very soothing while the hair follicles were being ripped out of her body by force.

And thus this started the friendship between the now eighteen year old and seventy-three year old women, Noodle constantly calling upon DeVonne for advice about any situation, especially the kind that involved puberty in which the three men Noodle resided with practically pushed Noodle at DeVonne for help. Now, in this particular position in her life, Noodle needed the older woman's advice more than ever. Due to the obvious fact that Noodle hardly ever got out much, boys and dating were not a major part of her life. First kiss was still pending as well as anything else after that much to Russel's relief. Not that Noodle couldn't, but again she was smarter than that and chose not to throw herself into that kind of thing especially considering her status in England, or in the world for that matter, and the fact that men have a one track mind. Look at Murdoc. Enough said.

Noodle bit her lip in a futile attempt to fight back more tears that were threatening furiously to fall down her already tear-stained cheeks and redden them even further. She was to the point of being hysterical and over something she should have known was going to happen. Wouldn't 2D be the obvious choice for her? Russel is "the daddy", Murdoc is a pervert, and 2D is the loving best friend that tucked her in at night and spent endless amounts of time with her before…the incident. She refused to risk her career, sanity and respect for love on some guy in the outside world that probably wanted her for her body or her money so wouldn't it be typical for her to date someone inside her own band?

Noodle sobbed in relief upon seeing her wax artist's home around the corner and pulled her car into the driveway messily. Peeking through her windshield, the guitarist saw dim light flickering in a window above the garage and steadily got out of her car and walked up to the front door, hugging herself against the early night breeze. Noodle didn't bother knocking or ringing the doorbell…she knew no one else would be here because no one else ever was. DeVonne lived alone all her life, men coming and going like a favorite season but none of them ever kept long enough to call "long term." Not that there was anything wrong with any of these men…DeVonne just believed strongly in her own independence more so than she did in "love at first sight," especially at her age. So Noodle walked through the door with a loud sniff, unintentionally announcing her arrival and closing the door behind her. Noodle scanned the foyer of the older woman's home in silent awe.

There were candles everywhere and each and every one of them lit and unscented, bringing a warm glow to the inside of her home without a strong, unwanted scent invading a guest's nose. The lights were usually off to allow the candles to have their full effect without the interference of artificial light and the windows were cracked slightly to allow a slight breeze. It was very comfortable inside the old lady's home, it was not cluttered with unnecessary things but instead contained the bare minimums that made it flow with the energy that she desired and kept the place spacious. Noodle walked slowly, feeling as if she were floating, from the foyer into the large, almost empty living room that DeVonne had and breathed a small sigh of relief.

Although Noodle's credit cards purpose was going to waste, her original intention was not. In between to large, overstuffed papasan chairs was a low wooden table with several bottles of liquor as well as a couple of cold sodas, a vegetable tray, a fruit tray, and a glass chess board with circle and square shot glasses as chess pieces. Even though DeVonne lived twenty minutes from Kong Studios, she still somehow managed to prepare herself for whatever crisis or conversation Noodle or any other person was bringing over. Noodle took a seat in one of the fluffy chairs when the old woman came out of the kitchen with two linen napkins.

"So what brings my darling angel over to my house with a tear-stained face and the sniffles, hm?" Noodle's eyelids almost instantly began to lower and her body nearly melted in relaxation just from the smooth sound of the woman's voice. It felt like warm cream flowing over a naked body…just smooth and soft and instantly relaxing. Noodle managed to straighten her spine and focus on DeVonne sitting down in the chair in front of her. She wore white linen pants with a matching blouse, her feet bare and her curly brown hair loose around her shoulders. She had on no makeup but DeVonne somehow never needed it. Even in her old age she had a beautiful complexion and smooth, rich skin. Not a single wrinkle on her body. Most thought it was plastic surgery but Noodle knew from being told early on that DeVonne simply took care of herself; the natural way.

Noodle sniffed again, shaking her head lightly to clear her head, "DeVonne it's been one hell of a day. 2D's back," Noodle didn't expect this to surprise her and of course, it didn't. DeVonne's expression never faltered, instead she just closed her eyes for a moment and nodded, humming to herself, "Yes, I figured Stuart would be back eventually," she said calmly, her voice wrapping around Noodle like Egyptian cotton.

Noodle sighed, feeling her body relax and her hackles go down finally, "Yes," she said coolly, "but he's acting very strange. Today was my charity performance and he showed up not even minutes before I had to leave," DeVonne nodded, leaning forward and opening a large bottle of tequila and carefully and tranquilly pouring it into each chess shot glass as she listened to Noodle speak, "and I had told you about his…children right?" Another nod and she was putting the cap back on the now almost empty tequila bottle and was now grabbing a whiskey bottle and pouring a modest amount into each glass and then filling the glass with coke and handing the drink to Noodle, "Well…he comes back and acts like everything's ok and I call him out about his kids and he gets _angry_ with me. 2D has never gotten angry towards me since I've known him," DeVonne nodded again, sipping her drink, "Do you feel that was the right thing to say to him when you first saw him?"

"No," Noodle said automatically. If there was one thing she could do around her wax artist that she couldn't do around anybody else, it was admit the truth. Of course she knew it was dumb of her to start things off like that with 2D, but she couldn't suppress that anger any longer. She'd been holding it in for four years and she was ok with that; thinking she was probably never going to see him again, although DeVonne knew otherwise apparently, and then the moment she laid eyes on him, instead of that instant of joy lasting longer like she'd hoped, it turned into bitterness and her mouth opened. Noodle took a large sip of her drink, the hint of soda giving little taste or relief to the burning whiskey that coursed down her throat in a lavish caress, her mind instantly gripping the alcohol and her body slumping just a little bit more in her chair.

"But…then I try to make things better with him," she said, glancing up at the older woman who sat in the chair across from her before focusing back on the hem of her jeans that was tucked under her thigh, "and it worked, but then he started acting strange. He kind of got a little close to me from behind on stage and whispered into my ear…a little to seductively in my opinion," she said, causing DeVonne to smile and then, "and after my performance he practically dragged me back on stage and sang to me," she said, her head lolling back on the cushion and her eyes following the light dancing on the ceiling from the candlelight.

DeVonne nodded, "I know dear, I was there."

Noodle lifted her head, her eyebrow rising, "You were? Where?"

DeVonne shrugged, "In the audience just like everybody else," Noodle nodded, a little surprised. She could tell DeVonne to ask her next time for VIP seating but she knew the older woman would say no. She always did. Noodle sighed again, arching her back slowly to stretch before slumping back down in the seat and finishing off the rest of the drink, sitting the glass on the table in front of her, "He just acted so strange, DeVonne, ya know? We got home and I just…bolted upstairs to my room. I really needed to get away from him so I could think about all of this because I hadn't fully interpreted it yet and I wasn't quite sure how anyways. But I tried to lock the door to the stairwell and he was already walking through the door by the time I got there! He moved so fast and he said he quit smoking which is just…unbelievable in itself."

DeVonne nodded again thoughtfully, "He needed to."

Noodle nodded in agreement before continuing, "So then him and I got into a stupid argument which was, again, my fault. Russel yelled at me for that one so I just went to my room to get away from that situation again. But then I was leaving to come here and 2D sees me and he beats me downstairs again!" Noodle exclaimed, the only sign of excitement (or life) being her eyes widening from what she just said, "So…he tosses me over his shoulder," DeVonne smirks and raises an eyebrow at this, "and drags me into his room," the other eyebrow goes up at that one, "and claims that he wants to "talk,"" Noodle said, lifting her hands to symbolize quotations with her fingers. DeVonne smiled again, and leaned forward, pushing the chess set gently into the center of the table and signaling Noodle to do the same.

"So what happened then?" she asked. Noodle sighed again, moving her round pawn glass forward one space, "He got seductive again, cornering me against his door and getting too close to me and telling me that he just wants to talk."

Noodle licked her lips and watched DeVonne move her pawn piece in the same position but three spaces down from Noodles, "So I asked him to explain his actions today: the whispering and the singing…and all he can say," Noodle paused to move her free bishop glass diagonally three spaces into the free area, "is that he figured it was obvious."

DeVonne nodded, switching Noodle's bishop with one of her pawns, downing the glass calmly before placing it face down on one of the linen napkins next to her, "Wasn't it?" she asked, glancing at Noodle.

Noodle bit the inside of her cheek, staring at the chess board. Finally, she moved a pawn directly in front of the older woman's first moved piece and sighed, "Not until he said something about it. Then, of course, I screwed up by mentioning his kids and that looked like it hurt him a little bit so I left and that's when I called you," Noodle said, glancing up to get DeVonne's reaction. The old woman nodded her head, moving her knight to where Noodle's pawn was and switching the glasses, downing it, and placing it down on the linen cloth again, earning a muttered curse from Noodle.

DeVonne sighed, leaning back and waiting for Noodle to make a move, "Dearest, I think what's going on is that you're still hurt about discovering Stuart's children four years ago, you're excited because he is back and you're nervous because you just realized that he his attracted to you probably as much as you are to him," Noodle didn't move her pieces but blinked numbly at the older woman, listening intently to the prognosis of her problem.

DeVonne brought her legs up, curling them underneath her body comfortably, "Stuart's children are a product of his lack of responsibility and his immaturity back in his younger years. You and I both know he isn't doing this any longer for the simple fact that he _has_ grown up. If he hadn't why would he have come back acting the way he is? He obviously has a plan in mind. Also, you cannot control that aspect of his life so what reason do you have to be angry with him? Would you share that kind of information with your friends?" Noodle silently shook her head, her expression still blank.

The older woman nodded, "He has every right to keep that kind of information from you, angel. If it bothers you so much, just talk to him about it, calmly," she said, emphasizing the last word, "And also," she said smiling, "what is the problem with him having feelings for you? He obviously cares about you and I know you care about him regardless of what you say and it's not like you have many other options when it comes to dating people."

Noodle hung her head, sighing in defeat. DeVonne was right. She was overreacting about something she couldn't control and she was rebuffing something she should be welcoming with a smile and open arms. She heard DeVonne chuckle, "Talk to him," she said, leaning forward and grabbing the rookie shot glass and downing it, making Noodle snort and grab her own rookie and downing it.

"Talk to him because if you don't then this misunderstanding is never going to be resolved, k?" she said. Noodle nodded, smiling, "You're right. I'll talk to him tomorrow morning."

DeVonne nodded her head with a smile and grabbed her queen, raising it over the chess board, "To the brightest girl I know."

Noodle smiled and grabbed her queen as well, raising it to the same level as DeVonne's, "To the wisest woman I know," and with that they clinked their shot glasses together and downed them, placing them down on the linen next to them and finishing off the rest of the shot glasses on the chess board. At that point Noodle was pretty drunk and DeVonne, due to old age and something else Noodle couldn't quite grasp, wasn't. Noodle glanced at the clock on the wall and swore, falling back into the cushion with a groan. It was eight thirty and she knew she couldn't ask Russel to stay out tonight because of what happened earlier today.

"I can't stay out tonight, Russel will get pissed," she said, holding her face in her hands. DeVonne rose from her seat without a second thought and walked to her kitchen, "I'll get some bake potatoes and lots of water. Just relax and I'll have you right as rain before ten o'clock."

Noodle didn't know if that was an old trick, or modern technology, or something queer with her body, but for some reason bake potatoes sobered her up faster than time itself: if she ate enough of them and could keep them down that is. So the young girl relaxed in the cushioned chair, listening absently to the water running in DeVonne's kitchen as she washed the potatoes and shoved them in the microwave for her. Noodle sighed again, the conversation between her wax artist and herself. Why did she have to come all this way for such a simple solution? Was she really that much of a wreck that she couldn't think of that on her own? It didn't really matter either way; she had her solution now all she had to do was act upon it.

Noodle frowned, remembering clearly how her last encounter with 2D went before she came over to DeVonne's. Considering 2D must have discovered the emotion, anger, he was probably pissed with her. Noodle bit her lip, contemplating putting this hell-raising conversation off till tomorrow maybe…

_No you idiot! Then it will never get done!_ She reprimanded herself for even thinking of procrastinating. True, she was somewhat nervous about even the idea of talking to him about something so…personal…but she didn't have much of a choice. He had feelings for her and—

Suddenly it fully came to her what was really going on. Her eyes widened and her lips parted as a small gasp escaped from her lips. 2D came back to Kong _for her._ Not for Russel or Murdoc or even the fans or anybody else…just her. Noodle grimaced at her stupidity, what was with her and being so slow lately? She couldn't grasp a single concept to save her own life and these were critical moments in her life. She had to speak to him, tonight. Whether he shut the door in her face or gave her the time of day, it didn't matter she had to fix this situation that she managed to neglect and destroy. She glanced at the clock again: nine o'clock. Noodle steadily stood, biting the inside of her cheek and praying that her balance and coordination wasn't completely off. It took her several seconds until she was standing to her full height and finally Noodle exhaled a breath of relief. She took a step towards the kitchen and then another and another, grinning when the world didn't start to swim around her. Maybe she wasn't as drunk as she thought she'd been sitting down. She slowly walked towards the foyer, staring at her feet, one step in front of the other, grinning like an idiot at her great progress when a voice behind her stopped her in her tracks.

"You're doing great walking, but is that going to get you to Kong Studios?" said a calm but sarcastic voice behind her. Noodle turned around sheepishly towards the voice and grinned like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. DeVonne stood against the doorway with her arms folded and a skeptical expression painted on her face. Noodle sighed, "I just…I need to talk to him and I don't think I can wait till ten, DeVonne," she said, her arms spread hopelessly. DeVonne nodded, shrugging at the young girl's reasoning.

"Well, maybe you're not as drunk as we thought you were but will you at least eat one bake potato?" DeVonne asked reaching behind the doorframe into the kitchen and pulling out a plate with a steaming hot baked potato sitting on it already prepped with sour cream and pepper, just the way Noodle liked it. Noodle sighed again, staring at the baked potato loathingly. DeVonne smiled, holding it out to her invitingly, "Come on…I'll even give you a full wax treatment while you eat it…it'll take me twenty minutes. What do you say?"

Noodle knew she probably needed it since she hadn't seen DeVonne for a waxing in at least a week so she opted to go for it, "Alright, alright," she said, holding her hands up in surrender, "I'll do it," DeVonne smiled and walked towards her to grab the girl's hand with her free hand, handing her the plate she had in her other hand, "Come on," she said, motioning towards another hallway in the house, "I'll set you up in one of the rooms and I'll have you out of here in no time. Just let me grab a bottle of water for you."

So she walked into the kitchen, still holding on to Noodle's hand and opened the fridge with the other, grabbing a cold bottle of water and shutting the fridge with her foot, "I'll set you up in room three since that has the dentist chair I got a couple of days ago."

Noodle frowned, "Why did you get a dentist's chair?"

DeVonne smiled, leading her down the hallway and opening a door with a silver letter three on it. DeVonne's home worked as a wax parlor for her clients that felt like coming to her instead of her going to them. The older woman opened the door and led Noodle into a room that had no lights or lamps but more candles, however none of them lit at the moment. DeVonne let go of Noodle's hand and walked over to a small table, picking up a small box of matched and starting on one side of the room began to light the candles. Noodle placed her plate down on the same table and followed DeVonne's lead, picking up a box of matched and going to another corner of the room, lighting the candles placed all around the room. DeVonne and Noodle met in the far corner of the room once all the candles were on fire and the room was well lit so one could see fairly well in the peaceful room. Noodle sighed, handing the matchbox to DeVonne and calmly walking over to the new dentist's chair, seating herself in it and leaning her head back against the head rest.

"I love your place, DeVonne…it's so peaceful and relaxing. Really helps you ignore the pain of getting your hair waxed off," Noodle said as she stretched herself in the body length chair. DeVonne snorted, grabbing her materials from a cabinet and placing them on another table on the other side of the chair. "Eight years and you're still not used to the pain? Angel…" DeVonne said shaking her head sarcastically.

Noodle snorted, "I should _not_ have ever had my body waxed at the age of ten."

"That's why I tried to tell your silly record label as well as Murdoc, but there is no talking sense into either of them, especially Murdoc. Still it's really no big deal angel dearest you just psyche yourself so much you make it hurt worst than it should," DeVonne joked, grabbing a large fluffy towel for Noodle and handing it to her. Noodle shook her head, laughing to herself and standing up from the chair, taking off her shirt and her pants, wrapping the large towel around her and sitting back down in the chair while DeVonne folded her clothes and placed them on the counter below the cabinet.

"Just eat your potato and I'll be done in no time," the wax artist said, unscrewing the lid off a large tub of wax and dipping her hand in it, scooping out a large mass and lathering the gooey substance all over Noodle's leg from her knee down before applying the long muslin strips. Noodle's body immediately tensed midway through chewing as she waited for the ripping sensation to happen, body she never felt it happen. Instead, DeVonne lathered up Noodle's other leg, knee to ankle and then applied the muslin strips. She continued this process with Noodle's entire leg; covering her thighs right up to an inch away from her panty line; covering the tops of her feet and the knuckles on her toes before moving up to Noodle's face. Here, DeVonne paused to wash the wax off her hand before carefully applying the wax to Noodle's eyebrows and then gently covering the fresh wax with more of the strips. After this DeVonne stepped back with a sigh, "Are you done eating angel?" she asked. Noodle looked down at her plate and discovered that she'd eaten the entire potato, skin and all. She nodded dumbfounded, when had she finished eating and why had she still been sticking the fork in her mouth? Weird…

DeVonne chuckled, taking the plate and fork from the guitarist and put it on the counter. Then she lifted both Noodle's arms rested them above the girl's head. Then she grabbed a wash cloth and soaked it in warm water from the sink installed in the counter, rubbing soap on the cloth and squeezing out all the excess water before coming back to Noodle and washing off the deodorant from both armpits before patting them dry and applying a moderate amount of wax and then covering with the muslin.

After she was done DeVonne stood back and looked at Noodle who had been dozing in the chair, "Noodle, angel, I just want to warn you that I'm going to be ripping off all this muslin continuously so this might hurt a little," Noodle never opened her eyes just nodded her head and mumbled, "Uh huh."

DeVonne shrugged, grabbing the first muslin strip she applied on Noodle's and ripping it off with a jerk of her arm.

"OUCH!"

Noodle's entire body flinched from the cluster of nerves in her leg that sent a loud protest throughout her entire nervous system. The young guitarist bared her teeth in pain; biting the inside her cheek to hold in the slew of curses that she was just dying to scream. DeVonne just shook her head with a sigh, dropping the now somewhat hairy strip in the garbage can next to her feet, "I did warn you, angel."

"Good night, I'm sober now…" Noodle muttered, leaning back slowly into the chair and pinching the bridge of her nose, "Just do it DeVonne, otherwise I'm going to be here all night," DeVonne didn't waste another second as she pulled off the second muslin strip, throwing it out, and then ripping off all the others on Noodle's left calf, the guitarist wincing and groaning at every single strip that was pulled from her body. DeVonne had to lift the younger girl's leg to get to the other strips that she had applied and while the leg was up she went ahead and ripped off the muslin trips on the underside of her thigh. Noodle's eyes popped open and DeVonne heard a small squeak escape from the girl's closed mouth, "Thigh's are always tender, dear, you know that," she said before ripping off another strip. Noodle exhaled sharply, her eyes closed; _It still fucking hurts…_ Noodle thought irritably as her leg was lowered after a third strip was ripped off her thigh. She relaxed, though, when DeVonne took off the muslin strips on her feet since those usually didn't hurt as much as the rest of her body. The older woman took the muslin strips off both feet before ripping the strips off Noodle's other calf. The young guitarist squirmed uncomfortably due to having her arms over her head and, of course, the ripping of hair.

"DeVonne can I pull off these on my armpits? My arms are starting to—FUCK!"

Noodle couldn't even finish her sentence as the old wax artist paused her attention on Noodle's legs and ripped off the strips on her armpits one right after the other before Noodle even knew it was coming.

DeVonne sighed, "Such language, am I going to have to speak to Mr. Nicalls again?" she asked, dropping the short strips into the garbage with a muffled 'thump.' Noodle didn't answer her, her mouth just gaped open, her eyes wide in shock from the pain her nerves were trying to translate frantically from her underarms to her brain. It kept hitting her in waves; she felt her face flushing from the flow of nerves running through her body. Slowly, she dropped her arms so as not to aggravate the already irritated flesh.

She heard DeVonne sigh again before she continued to rip off the muslin strips on Noodle's upper thigh as well as underneath the second thigh, "You think you'd be used to it by now," she said sadly. Noodle ignored her and just sat there, wide eyed and amazed. At this point, her body felt the pain but the message sent for her to react was never received. She just sat there.

Before she knew what was what anymore, DeVonne's hand was coming towards Noodle's eyes and the older woman's mouth was moving… "…going to take these off your eyebrows and then you can go home, alright?"

Noodle nodded and DeVonne smiled, reassured that Noodle hadn't psyched herself into a coma over something purely psychological. She grabbed the end of the muslin strip closest to her ear over Noodle's right eye and quickly ripped it off, not even getting a flinch except for the right eye to blink rapidly and then the left after the last muslin strip was taken off. DeVonne sighed in relief, throwing away the last of the muslin strips and turning around to the cabinet behind her to get the herbal balm that soothed the skin after such harsh treatment…so to speak. The older woman quickly applied a thin layer to every part of Noodle's body that had been waxed before screwing the lid back on the jar and putting it back in the cabinet.

"There, good as new, love," she said happily with a smile. Noodle exhaled sharply and closed her eyes, probably to pray and thank God.

Noodle swallowed the lump in her throat, "Thank you, my clothes?" she asked, hearing DeVonne shuffle around and then the weight of her shirt and pants being plopped down on her lap. She slowly stood, her nerves slightly calmer now than before because of that balm that her wax artist always used, particularly on her. She dropped the towel onto the chair and tenderly pulled on her pants and then her shirt. Once her head poked through the neck of her shirt she saw DeVonne standing there with a bottle of deodorant, which Noodle used gratefully; saying another prayer thankful that the deodorant didn't sting to high heaven.

Once situated in her clothes, Noodle cleared her throat and smiled at her old friend, "Thank you, DeVonne, I appreciate it very much," she said, coming around the other side of the chair and hugging the older woman.

DeVonne smiled, "Oh, it's no trouble dear, it never is. Just make sure you talk to 2D and straighten all of this out.

"I will, DeVonne, thank you again. I'll drop a check off tomorrow," the older woman waved her hand dismissively as she walked Noodle towards the front door, "No worries angel, it's not like that record company of yours doesn't pay for it anyway from Murdoc. I'll just charge them," she said with a wink as she stood in her doorway, watching Noodle leave, "Just remember what we talked about!" she called after her.

Noodle waved as she stepped into her car, "I will! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, angel."

Noodle shut the door and started her ignition, turning around in her seat to back out of DeVonne's driveway and onto the road. Noodle took a deep breath as she picked up speed on the way back to Kong Studios, she was in for a long, long night.

♥♥♥

The room was dark, save for the different colored light flickering across the walls continuously. Everything in the room was still, giving the impression of the room being empty; the television left on. Look closer…on the bed…

There…sitting in a slouched position was a person with the expression of death itself painted across his face. The remote was clenched in one hand and a forgotten beer in the other; a case worth of beer cans littering the floor next to the hand with the beer. Blank, dark-rimmed eyes focused blandly on a zombie flick running with a marathon on the television. He'd been sitting like this for hours, ever since she left; he'd grabbed a case from upstairs, positioned himself on the bed and let the zombie marathon do the rest. Out of the blue, the dark eyes glared at the television after zoning back in; he wasn't even paying attention to the television, he kept thinking about her. He'd been so close…so close to her and she pushed him away, thrown away his advances and walked out the door. It was all he had in him not to break down and walk out the door again and never come back. There was no reason for him to be here again. He could do it again because this time it would be easier; there was a car sitting outside his door waiting for him and he hadn't touched his account. He should just get up and walk out the door. When the message didn't reach his feet from his brain, the man scowled angrily.

_Come on you fool, she's not coming back to see you; just get up and leave again. They didn't need you before and they don't need you now. Get up._

As much as he mentally berated himself, 2D could not convince his body to obey the commands his mind was sending out. He just couldn't move from where he was. He wanted to see her again, at least see her face before he left.

Suddenly the singer's ears picked up the sound of the car park bay door opening and the echo of an engine reaching his room. She was back, she came back. The zombie flick playing on the television was ignored by the singer as his hearing picked up every detail going on outside his door. He heard her open the door and a few seconds later it slammed shut. 2D sat there listening for more but he heard nothing. Was she just standing there? Did she already tip toe past his room to the stairs to avoid him. 2D bared his teeth angrily, his body finally getting the motivation to move. If she was going to avoid him that much, than he should just leave right now. He jabbed his thumb into the power button of the remote and the flick on the television disappeared, the room darkening instantly. Patting his pockets for his phone, the singer realized the keys were probably in the ignition of the car since it had never been driven. Stumbling towards his door, the singer grabbed the doorknob and ripped the door open angrily.

Noodle jumped back with a shout as 2D's bedroom door swung open quickly and an angry-looking, disheveled 2D stood in the doorway, staring at her incredulously. She glanced over him quickly and noticed his fists were clenched, he was still angry with her. The guitarist swallowed the lump in her throat, "H-hey," she whispered nervously, staring into his angry eyes as he scowled down at her. He didn't answer her, just continued to stare at her accusingly. The Axe Princess bit her lip, taking a gentle step towards where the singer stood in the door, 2D straightening to his full height as she slowly approached him. Noodle looked away from his harsh gaze to the floor, "I'm sorry," she whispered, "about earlier."

Noodle didn't hear him respond and chanced looking up at him, only to wince when the keyboardist's expression hadn't changed, he'd just continued to stare at her. Noodle sighed, "I just want to talk to you, 'D."

2D's nostril's flared slightly as the anger he'd suppressed for several hours after she'd left him began to seep out of him. There were so many things he just wanted to scream at her. _'What about my bastard children?' 'Oh, _now_ you're giving me the time of day?!' 'I don't want to fucking talk to you!'_ All these things were on the tip of his tongue as he watched her shift around nervously in front of him. His fists clenched and unclenched from an adrenaline rush he was trying not to take out on the wall next to him. He couldn't stand this anymore, he came back for _her_, wanted to be a part of the band again just so he could be with _her_ and she had blown him off like the four years without him had never happen. He hated it.

But, just like many times before when the singer lost his temper, the pleasant part of his conscience would roll into his mind with thoughts of forgiveness, forgetting the wrong and embracing the right. True, Noodle wasn't completely innocent in this whole situation, but she wasn't fourteen anymore, he realized. She could and probably would fess up to her own transgressions once they started talking. And the children thing, that probably just bothered her that he hadn't told her about it when it happened. Not like he'd known right away, but anyway. So 2D's body began to relax, and Noodle started to notice with a blink of her emerald eyes that 2D's fists were unclenched and that his muscle's had loosened up, his stance more relaxed and less threatening. 2D licked his lips and sighed, "I'm sorry, too," he whispered, taking a step back into his room and to the side so she could enter, "Come in, we'll talk in here."

Noodle nodded, a little perturbed by the almost instant change of face that occurred right before her eyes. She hadn't expected him to forgive her so easily let alone apologize in return. Noodle walked into the room and he closed the door behind her. She sat on his bed, making herself comfortable by scooting back against the wall with the pillow behind her and her legs crossed on the bed. With a small flinch, Noodle quickly took off her shoes and socks and tossed them on the floor next to the bed, smiling sheepishly at 2D, who just chuckled and sat next to where her legs were folded. They said nothing as of yet but glanced at each other every now and then. Noodle mentally sighed to herself; she couldn't stand how awkward it was whenever they were together since he'd come back. Because of what she'd known and because of what she'd recently discovered she was having trouble approaching the subject with him. However her problems were solved (or maybe they weren't however you choose to look at the situation) when 2D sighed and reached over to grab her hand out of her lap and entwine their fingers together.

"Wot d'yo wanna talk 'bout, love?" he asked quietly, glancing up from their hands to her wide eyes before dropping them again to where his hand held hers in her lap. Noodle followed his eyes, staring at their hands together. She liked the way his hand felt, smooth and warm, she was half-tempted to lift his hand to her face so she could rub her cheek against his knuckles but she resisted and just sat there staring. After a second she swallowed the lump down and said, "Well, I felt like I should explain to you why discovering you have…children bothered me so much," 2D smiled at this, his dark eyes still glued to their hands, "I understand, love. I'd be a bit down, too, if it wos meh discoverin' 'at kind of information 'bout yeh," he admitted with a faint blush. Noodle nodded with a small sigh, "I'm sorry for what I said about them," she said, squeezing his hand lightly. 2D shrugged, arching his back to make it pop before settling back down in a slouched position, "S'not like I've ever met any o' 'em or 'at I ever will. Just 'appens, love."

Noodle nodded with a smirk; she wasn't sure why but the thought of 2D having accidents a.k.a. children was just a funny interpretation. The guitarist sighed again, leaning forward off the wall, looking up at 2D and noticing he was staring at her again with a smile. Noodle tilted her head to the side, arching her brow, "What?" she asked him. 2D just smiled and shook his head, "You've just grown up so much since the last time I saw you," Noodle snorted with a smile, "So have you, old man," she said with a snicker. 2D mocked being hurt, dropping his mouth open with a gasp and placing his hand on his chest, "_Old man_? I'm an old man?!" Noodle nodded, "Come on, 'D…you're 31 years old," she said with a smirk, "_Way_ too old for this little girl," she said, nervously tip toeing her way into that subject with her fingers crossed and her hopes cheering for the best. She knew how he felt for her and he knew that she knew how he felt for her…but he didn't now how she felt for him which created an issue of biting the bullet and either saying it gently or just blurting it out.

2D smirked at her, which showed some promise for things not taking a turn for the worst, but without warning he scooted in closer to her, forcing her legs apart so her feet ended up next to his butt and under his thigh. Noodle's face fell, she hadn't been expecting him to get that close to her again and she was flustered as 2D started playing his games again. 2D saw this, his grin getting wider as he picked up the foot under his thigh and pulled it over his lap, scooting in closer to her body and wrapping the leg in his hands around his torso. Noodle was blushing furiously; she'd been caught off guard again and now he appeared to be trying to seduce her. 2D grinned again, his face close to hers and his hands resting on her knee. Noodle smiled back at him, "What are you doing?" She whispered innocently, her emerald eyes locked onto his broken ones. 2D shrugged, scooting closer to her again so both of her legs wound up wrapped around his torso and his back, her ankles resting together on his left hip, his right hip dangerously close to an area Noodle preferred not to meddle with. He smiled again, "Just tryin' to figure yeh out," he admitted.

Noodle shook her head, leaning forward slightly, her intentions unseeming, "You don't have to," she said nervously. 2D arched his brow, "Why's 'at?" he asked, leaning closer as well.

Noodle bit her lip, realizing how fast things went almost instantly went by her small gesture. She glanced down at his lips before looking back into his eyes, her heart beat beginning to pick up speed. Suddenly she wasn't so sure if this was what she wanted, but another squeeze on her hand reassured her that she was here because of how she felt about him and because of how he felt about her. She didn't know why this was suddenly getting so complicated, it was like an equation, that's all. One plus one equals two. 2D liking Noodle plus Noodle liking 2D equaled them being together. How hard was that? Noodle smiled at the thought because she knew, even as painfully simple as it was, 2D wasn't going to understand it like that. He needed it straight up with no sugar-coating and nothing in between, so she gave it to him like that, "Because I feel the same way, 2D," she whispered, the confidence in her voice echoing not only in her ears but also in 2D's, who smiled after exhaling a large puff of breath that he'd been holding as long as it took her to answer. He reached up with his hand to caress her cheek, his fingers running underneath her chin before grabbing it gently. At this point, both of them had leaned forward so much their foreheads were touching. He smirked at her, "I'm glad, love, 'at's wot I was hopin' for," he admitted rubbing his head gently against hers, the guitarist giggling at his display of affection. Noodle smiled, biting her lip again and her cheeks blushing from the question she wanted to ask him. It's not like she really needed to, but she wanted to hear the answer come from him to sort of, "seal the deal" so to speak. "So what does this mean?" She asked innocently, staring into his big, black eyes that were now only centimeters away from hers. 2D slowly glanced at his alarm clock, the only indication that he did so was his eyes blinking before looking back at her with another sultry smile, "'is means 'at I'm gona carry yeh upstairs through the house fo' everyone to see an' tuck yeh into bed," he said, standing up slowly and picking up the dumbfounded Noodle 'bridal-style', and turning around to head for his door.

Noodle sighed, resting her head against the singer's collar bone, "What is it with men and carrying women around?" she asked as 2D bent down slightly to twist the doorknob with the hand under the crook of her knees. The singer chuckled, walking out of his room and towards the lift, "'cause yo' _my_ woman, love, an' I can carry yeh around everywhere I go from now on," Noodle grinned to herself as 2D spoke the sentence that pretty much confirmed what both of them were unsure of. As of now, 2D and Noodle, the singer and the guitarist of Gorillaz, were officially a couple. It went pretty much like a normal courtship; he made an outrageous and foolish move by coming back after four years of travels and started making attempts to reveal his feelings for her; he serenaded her and then finally, after a brief interlude of stupidity mainly on Noodle's part, they confessed their feelings to each other. Thus makes a happy ending. Or does it?

No, as Noodle sat in 2D's arms as he carried her upstairs; her arms wrapped around his neck, she knew for a fact that this was not the end for them, it was the beginning; the beginning of something alien to both of them and that would require effort from both parties to keep it pure and strong. She knew this but she didn't care about the specifics. She knew they'd be alright. Suddenly Noodle frowned, realizing 2D was carrying her up three flights of stairs. She squeezed her arms around his neck gently, "'D, are you on steroids or something? You're carrying me up three flights of stairs for crying out loud…" she mumbled watching his feet as he put one in front of the other with ease, his step never faltering and his breathing even and steady. The singer smirked, "I started running after I quit smoking and then I started working out," Noodle's eyes widened when he told her this information. He'd already told her he quit smoking but she didn't believe it until he carried over a hundred pounds up three flights of stairs. This piqued her curiosity and she reached her arm across the singer's chest, wrapping her hand around his left bicep and squeezing. Her eyes widened even more when she felt thick, rock hard muscle, "Damn," she whispered.

2D smirked, "S'all fo' show, love. Can yeh get the door fo' meh?" She giggled and nodded, twisting the doorknob and pushing it open, the singer turning to fit her through the door and walking into the dark living room. The television was on, Murdoc and Russel sitting exactly how the singer had left them except more beer cans and cigarette butts littered around them. Russel turned his head towards them to glance at the couple for a second before turning his attention back onto the television. Another second and the big drummer did a double-take, his mouth gaping open as his white eyes stared at the pair standing in the doorway of the stairwell. Murdoc looked over as well, his eyes taking a moment to focus and his brain taking even longer to register the scene before him before he frowned. Russel scowled as well, confused, "What the hell's going on, man?" He asked skeptically. 2D shrugged, walking towards the corridor doorway, "Just putting my girlfriend to bed."

"G'night, Noodle," Murdoc slurred, missing the main point of the sentence and his attention back on the television. Russel, however, did not miss what the blue-haired singer said, his frown deepening, "Uh, were yo' goin' to ask me, man?" He asked the singer, standing up slowly from where he sat next to Murdoc on the couch. Noodle's eyes widened and she frowned viciously, her hackles rising, "Ask?" She hissed. Russel winced, forgetting and realizing in the same instant that Noodle wasn't fourteen anymore and that she didn't need his permission anymore; for anything. Russel sighed, back-stepping, "Sorry, baby girl, it's just hard for me, you know that," Noodle smiled, calming down a little bit and shifting her weight in 2D's arms, "I know, Russ. You don't have to worry about me, though."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I won't," he said, glancing at 2D who was staring at Noodle with a smile on his face. Russel sighed again, "Alright, well, I'm happy for both of you; good night baby girl," he said, sitting down slowly next to the bass player. Noodle smiled, "Good night, Russ. Good night, Murdoc," Murdoc didn't answer again, just waved his hand over his shoulder. 2D turned around into the corridor and walked the short distance it took to get to Noodle's room. She opened the door again and he stepped inside the room, Noodle reaching behind him to flick the light on. The singer kicked the door shut gently, taking a few steps in the room and staring at everything around him in amazement, "Seems like forever since I've been in 'ere. Everythin' seems different; makes me wonder 'ow much the rest of Kong 'as changed," Noodle shrugged, following his eyes around her room, "Four years is a long time, 'D," she commented. The keyboardist brought Noodle close to his body, turning his head against hers and sandwiching his head in between Noodle's cheek and his shoulder in an affectionate nuzzle, "I missed yeh every day I was gone," the guitarist wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close to her, "I missed you, too. Where did you go?" She heard him snort when he smiled and he squeezed her close to him one last time before putting her down on the floor. Noodle's feet touched her carpet and she realized that Murdoc or Russel cleaned up all of her clothes while she was gone. She made a mental note to thank them later. 2D wrapped his hands around waist, resting them on her lower back just above her rear, "'at, love," he said staring into her emerald eyes, "is a very long story," Noodle glanced at her alarm clock and snorted when it only said eleven o'clock. She glanced back at him with her freshly waxed eyebrow quirked, "It's only eleven, 'D. I don't _have_ to go to bed just yet," she commented, stepping in closer to him and sliding her hands up his chest, her brow rising again when she felt the muscles beneath his shirt flex. She looked up into his eyes, "Unless it's past _your_ bedtime, old man," she said, suppressing the snicker that was on the tip of her tongue.

2D sniffed at that comment but otherwise pretended to ignore it, turning her around in his arms and pushing her towards her dresser, "Get changed fo' bed, love. An' if yo' good I'll tell yeh a bedtime story," he said, watching her glance back at him before strutting towards her dresser. He looked around her room again, taking in the changes she's made (which consisted of no more than moving furniture around) before taking a seat on the edge of her bed to watch her rummage through her clothes in her dresser. He heard Noodle swear under her breath before she muttered something about Russel and Murdoc putting everything back, but in the wrong place. After pulling almost all of her drawers out she managed to get a white camisole and a flannel pair of boxers. Sighing with relief she shut all of the drawers on her dresser, tossing her pajamas of choice on top, crossing her arms in front of her and grabbing the hem of her shirt.

Noodle froze midway through lifting her shirt up, remembering she wasn't alone in her room. She turned her neck slightly to glance over her shoulder to see 2D staring at her, his lips pursed in a futile attempt to hold in his laughter. Noodle frowned, "Shut up," she hissed, pulling the hem of her shirt down around her waist, grabbing her pajamas and stomping into her bathroom where she slammed the door shut. 2D let out a snort, dropping his head with a sigh, _That was an almost,_ he thought with a mix of relief and disappointment. Little did he know Noodle was staring at herself in the mirror, wide eyed and horrified, thinking the exact same thing…minus the disappointment. Noodle shook her head, "That was stupid," she whispered, glancing at the doorknob to reassure herself that it was locked before taking her shirt off over her head. Tossing the shirt in the laundry basket, Noodle shook out her hair, checking herself in the mirror before frowning at the doorknob again. That was a silly thing for her to be worried about. 2D would never do such a thing to her like that. Noodle turned back to her frowning reflection, slightly ashamed of herself for not giving the singer enough credit. Sighing, she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra with another relieved sigh, tossing that garment into the laundry basket as well. She grabbed her camisole and pulled it over her head, adjusting the tank top around her bust and down to her waist line. Then came off her pants, and underwear, both of which joined Noodle's now full laundry basket and she slipped on the short, flannel boxers. Once dressed, Noodle quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth, slightly eager to hear where 2D had gone in four years. Once she finished drying her face, the guitarist opened the door to her bedroom and stopped short, covering her mouth to suppress a giggle at the scene before her.

There, on her bed, lay 2D out cold. Noodle bit her lip to keep back the snicker and tip toed quietly to her bed where the singer laid, half on and half off; his butt on the bed, but his long legs hanging off ridiculously. Noodle stood in front of his legs with her hands on her hips. She shook her head with a sigh, "I guess I have to sleep in your room now," she whispered. 2D's right eye popped open and he smirked, "Yeh only wish, love," Noodle frowned, "What was that for? Were you asleep?" She asked him. 2D snickered, shaking his head. He sat his torso up, popping his back again with a satisfied sigh, "No, I was jus' wonderin' wot yeh'd do to dear, ol' me while I'm in my sleep," he said dramatically, placing his hand over his heart and batting his eyelids. Noodle snorted, "Strangle you, you old man," 2D frowned at her, "Woman, if yeh call meh 'at one more time…" he growled, grabbing her waist and lifting her over his body with a squeak from her and landing her on her bed, his arms strategically wrapped around her waist. Once her hackles went down and she was aware that she wasn't about to get thrown around the room she snorted with a sadistic smile, "At least you've come to terms with the fact that I," she said pointing to herself, "am a _woman_," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. 2D snorted again, shaking his head, "Well," he said with a sigh, "so much for your bedtime story…"

Noodle's upper body shot up as she glared down at him, "You better tell me!" she exclaimed, jabbing a finger into his chest and hurting her finger in the process…even though she didn't tell him that and never, ever would. 2D smiled, pulling her close to his chest so the top of her head was right at his collar bone, his arms still around her waist. With his free arm, he pulled the covers over her body to keep her warm before settling down and preparing to tell the story when Noodle interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey 2D?"

"Yea?" he asked, glancing down at her to see she had a sheepish look on her face accompanied by a cute blush. She bit her lip, which he learned in the past twelve hours meant she was about to say/do something lovely, "Will you do me a favor?" she asked innocently, glancing from his shirt-covered chest to his arms that were slightly exposed due to his short sleeves and then to his face with a guilty grin. 2D quirked an eyebrow questioningly, "Wo's 'at, love?" Noodle bit her lip, again, taking her finger and tracing a circle on his pectoral muscle, causing 2D to fight a shiver that ran through his body like a pissed off stallion. She cleared her throat, "Can you take your shirt off for me?" 2D's eyes bulged slightly, "I just want to see…you know…"the new you,"" she said timidly. 2D coughed nervously and shook his head, "After the story," Noodle frowned, "Why?"

"'cause yeh won't pay attention to wot I'm sayin' if I grace yeh wit' such beauty before'and," he said smugly, turning his head to the side in a pose so she could see his profile. Noodle giggled, smacking his chest lightly, "Ok, deal, but don't forget!" she said, pointing a finger at him in warningly. 2D snickered, "Of course, love. Now," he said, shifting in her bed slightly so he was in a sitting position, but his girlfriend still lay in his arms, "'ere should I start?" he inquired, glancing at her. Noodle didn't wait even half a second before blurting, "After you left the car park."

2D nodded with a sigh, "I walked to the nearest 'ospital an' collapsed when I walked into the waitin' room," Noodle's eyes widened, but she said nothing, listening intently to 2D. He sighed again, remembering everything vividly, "The…damage was pretty severe. The wound from the scythe," he pointed to the inch wide scar on his forehead that was a couple shades darker than his own skin, "Required o'er a couple 'undred sutures alone. The bullet wound on my shoulder took only twenty-one sutures, but the stab wound in my forearm took thirty-four. I had a concussion from the wound on my head, which took…I don't even remember but I remember I 'ad staples in my 'ead along wit' sutures," Noodle's eyes were wide at this point and her nose wriggled from the tears that were coming. 2D sighed again, "My collarbone was broken as well along wit' three of my ribs on my right side. After I went through surgery to clean out all of my wounds an' stitch an' staple me up 'ey stuck me in ICU 'ere I stayed fo' three weeks before I was released wit' nothin' except my damaged clothes, a ridiculously large bill an' my wallet. So, I paid off the bill right away an' left the hospital; searchin' out the closest clothin' store an' buyin' myself new clothes to replace my destroyed ones. 'en I looked for a grocery store an' bought 'air dye—"

Noodle's mouth dropped open at this point and she whispered, "You didn't…" interrupting the singer's story. 2D nodded, "I didn't wan' anybody recognizin' meh 'cause I didn't…" 2D paused, obviously pained by what he was about to say, "I thought I didn't wan' to be a part of Gorillaz anymore," he whispered. The guitarist said nothing, but instead curled herself closer to his body in a comforting gesture. The singer began again, "So I bleached my hair blonde—" Noodle winced and silently gagged at the thought of their singer with beach blonde hair, "…bought some aviator sunglasses 'at I never took off an' tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. An' ironically it worked rather well, for the entire four years I was gone not a single person noticed me," the singer paused again to reminisce before continuing, "so I decided at 'at point to leave England an' travel to places I've always wanted to go to an' by the cheapest means possible. First I went to America an' visited New York, which was a frightenin', but excitin' experience in itself. It's nothing like Russel describes it as; yeh really need to see it for yo'self to get the full effect. An' 'en I went to Alaska for a little sightseein' 'at lasted a flatterin' two days before I shipped myself, literally, to warmer climates in the Philippines 'ere I laid on a beach for a couple of days an' got my license stolen an' then after findin' it in the garbage not even a couple yards away from me, left 'ere and went to Tibet, which yeh can well imagine I enjoyed thoroughly…sittin' wit' protestors an' wot not. 'en I went to India for some food an' 'en before yeh know it I was back in Europe wit' news of yeh an' the guys swimmin' around meh anywhere I went."

Noodle felt 2D's shoulders droop as his tone went from one of excitement to one of sadness, "'owever…I'd been hearin' 'bout yeh all over the news, no matter 'ere I was. It seems fate didn't want meh to forget yeh or 'ere I really belonged. 'owever, once I got back in Europe 'at's when I started 'earing 'bout charity performances an' wot not an' I made my decision 'at I wanted to be wit' yeh regardless of wot 'ad 'appened. I'd forgiven Muds whether I'd really realized it or not an' it was time for meh to come back. So I 'ailed a taxi in Germany an' made my way back to England right up to 'bout a mile away from Kong Studios, 'ere the taxi driver got scared when he thought I was leading him somewhere deserted due to the sidewalks and such," 2D sighed at the end of his story, "and 'ere I am, 'ere with yeh and puttin' the past four years behind meh."

Noodle bit her lip, placing her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat against her palm. She sighed from all the newly acquired information that was swimming around in her head, "You shouldn't forget the past four years, 2D. It was a learning experience for you as it was for all of us," she cuddled closer to him with another sigh, "and that's something you should keep with you as a lesson well learned," she felt him snort and chuckle from what she'd just said, his arms wrapping tightly around her, "Yeh really 'ave grown up, lil' love. Yo' not a lil' girl anymore, thank God, an' yo' so beautiful," Noodle smiled, quirking her brow again and squeezing the singer's hard chest, "As have you, 'D. Now how's about taking off that shirt?" Noodle giggled as she listened to 2D sigh, the singer removing himself from her arms and standing without a word of protest, turning so his front was facing her. He reached over his shoulders and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling it over his head and off his body, his blue locks springing free from the constricting material around his head. He dropped the shirt to the floor and held his arms to his sides, focusing on the floor with a blush. He didn't hear anything from Noodle and for a split second was worried the guitarist was disgusted with this new change before he heard, "Holy. Shit."

Noodle gaped wide-eyed at the singer's practically brand new body. Indeed, true to the keyboardist's word, he'd been working out, his abdomen more defined underneath his skin and his pectoral muscles standing out from his chest more so than before. His biceps were definitely thicker than before as was his forearms, but it wasn't a drastic change in measurement, otherwise Noodle would have definitely noticed beforehand. The singer snickered at the flustered girl's reaction and flexed just to tease her, immediately earning a small gasp from the almost drooling guitarist. 2D sighed, basking in the attention that he'd been without for four long years before sitting back down on the bed, "Well, lil' love, it's time for bed for yeh," he said pointing to the alarm clock that now read ten to twelve, Noodle ignoring his indication and continuing to stare at the singer's body in awe. 2D chuckled, pushing her down to the bed by her shoulders and bringing the blankets up around her neck. She yawned, her eyes tearing up slightly as she shifted herself into the sheets to make herself comfortable, her eyes occasionally drifting away from 2D's chest to his eyes before finding their way back to his chest. 2D shook his head, leaning down to kiss the guitarist's temple, "G'night, lil' love."

Noodle smiled, a bit embarrassed, "Good night, 2D. Sorry…I'm just shocked at how much you've changed…especially physically," 2D chuckled again, placing his hand where her stomach was under the comforter and patting it reassuringly, "No worries, love. Jus' make sure yeh can get some sleep," Noodle smirked, "Oh, I will," 2D grinned, leaning down to give her a hug from where she lay before standing up, grabbing his shirt off the floor, "See yeh in the mornin'," he said. Noodle nodded, closing her eyes, "You, too. Night."

2D exited her room quietly, locking and shutting the door and silently walking down the hallway where lights were still flickering in a dark room across the walls. The singer walked past the duo on the couch and made his way for the stairs but was stopped by a, "'D, what the hell?!"

2D turned around, quirking an eyebrow and sharing a confused look with Russel, who turned his questioning stare onto Murdoc. It was the bass player who had noticed 2D's half-naked state, however both the singer and the drummer had never, ever heard Murdoc call 2D anything other than Dullard or Face-Ache. 2D shook his head, "Just stick to the names, mate, it ain't right 'earin' my real nickname comin' out yo' mouth," he said with a chuckle. Murdoc shrugged, his expression never changing. He pointed at the shirt in 2D's hands, "What'd yeh do?" he asked. Russel noticed 2D's state of partial undress and both band members could almost see the big drummer turn a couple shades red. 2D swallowed the lump in his throat and chuckled nervously, lifting his arm and flexing his bicep, "Just showin' off the boys, mate. No worries?" Both Russel and Murdoc reeled back slightly at the display of muscle 2D was sporting. Neither of them tripped over themselves or drooled like their guitarist had but they both did exchange glances with each other and shrugged, Murdoc saying, "Whatever, mate. See yeh tomorrow," 2D nodded, opening the door to the stairwell and closing it behind him before jogging down the stairs.

Murdoc shook his head, his eyes on the television, "Bet 'e could beat meh ass into next year," he mumbled. Russel glanced at him with a glare, "Let's not find out, man," he growled.

**A/N: Thank you, all of you, for sending me such supportive reviews. I have you to thank for busting me out of my writer's block! Hope you enjoyed!**♥♥♥


	5. Chapter 5

Left Behind

By: keep.your.groove.on.baby

Disclaimer: I still do not own any of the characters associated with Gorillaz. All rights reserved to Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn. (I should have put this disclaimer on like…all my chapters.)

Chapter Five

The sun rising at Kong is no different from the sun rising anywhere else in the world. Yes, the birds still chirp (what few are left), and the morning dew still covers everything around the large building, and the sun's rays still seep into the windows and cracks wherever they may be in Kong.

The only thing different in the morning is the people. Only at Kong Studios will you find a three hundred pound black man so devout to food that he is willing to cook every meal of the day for himself and his band mates…so long has he can cook for himself primarily. So around eight o'clock the Gorillaz drummer is awake, showered and dressed and in the kitchen preparing a meal out of a cook book that his surrogate daughter had given him for his birthday a couple years ago. It was a French dish, consisting of light, flaky pancakes wrapped around crushed strawberries with whipped cream on top. Russel had never attempted a dish like this before, but anybody with any amount of cooking experience knows the basics of how to attempt a recipe. So there he was, making thin pancake after thin pancake for about thirty minutes when he hears the stairwell door open and footsteps coming down the corridor. Russel frowned, turning around and staring at the kitchen door, defensively; to see who would walk down the hallway. Nobody was _ever_ up at this hour besides him so it must have been a zombie or a stranger of some kind.

The drummer bared his teeth, his grip on the frying pan tightening when suddenly 2D breezes into the kitchen, "Mornin' Russ," he says going to the fridge and pulling out a jug of milk and placing it on the counter before walking past the dumbfounded drummer and getting a clean glass out of the dishwasher. He goes back to the milk jug and pours himself a glass when Russel finally shakes himself out of his reverie with a frown, "'D? What the hell, man? What are you doing up so early?" 2D looked at the big drummer innocently after taking a large swig of milk and forming himself a milk mustache. After swallowing he smiled sheepishly and replied, "Um, I went running and now I'm hungry."

The percussionist's mouth dropped open and the frying pan nearly slipped out of his big hand. He glanced at 2D's attire and saw that the singer was wearing jogging sweats, tennis shoes and he was shirtless. Sure 2D had filled out a little more than he had been four years ago…and apparently he really had quit smoking, but the drummer never expected the singer to change this much in just four years time. 2D smiled at him again before taking another swig of milk and putting the jug away in the fridge and taking a seat at the table, "What's for breakfast?" 2D asked. Russel, still a little shocked from 2D's new healthy lifestyle, glanced down at the pancake in the pan and flipped it over silently with a fork, "Crepe Suzettes," he said, turning around and finishing the pancake. Russel frowned at the pan as he spooned more batter into it, ready to make another pancake. 2D nodded from where he sat behind the drummer, "Never 'ad 'em, but 'ey sound good," Russel just nodded from where he stood, still a little confused as to the reason for 2D's return and complete makeover. Apparently after one is pushed past their limit, they discover things not only about the world, but about themselves. The big drummer shrugged it off, it's not like he ever understood the blue-haired singer in the first place so why should this make any difference.

2D leaned back in his chair with a content sigh, glancing around the kitchen and out the window as he finished his glass of milk and pushed the cup away from him. He was twiddling his thumbs when Russel's voice interrupted his boredom, "Do you care about her man? Or is this just something convenient?" 2D's head shot up with a confused glare but all he saw was the drummer's back as he continued making the thin pancakes. 2D frowned but sighed, relenting the fight, "I do care about 'er, Russ. I really do. She's the reason I came back in the first place," the singer said before his eyes widened in silent realization and he winced, adding, "No offense, mate."

Russel shook his head, "Don't worry about it man, I just want to know that I'm not going to regret this…you know…Noodle and you thing," 2D nodded his head even though Russel couldn't see him, but it didn't matter. There was an understanding between them; the drummer and the singer, the father and the boyfriend. 2D was contemplating getting another glass of milk when he heard the lift door open right next to the kitchen entrance and none other than Murdoc came stumbling into the kitchen…very much awake and wide eyed. He sat down next to the singer, his hands trembling slightly on the table. Russel turned around from the stove with a shocked frown, "Muds, you too? What the hell…" Murdoc didn't answer but 2D winced from the bass player's state, "Sorry Muds," he said. Russel glanced between the singer and the bass player, his frown deepening in concern and a certain incident from four years earlier replaying in his mind. He growled low, "What happened?" 2D cleared his throat, staring at Murdoc's frightened state, "Um, 'en I was comin' back inside from runnin' my mile…a couple zombies chased me inside the car park an' I barely made it inside the stairwell."

Russel's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the silent bass player, leveling with the frightened man, since all of them at one point had been woken up by a zombie breaking into their room. The drummer sighed, "Get him a beer, 'D. Muds…yo Muds! Did you get rid of all of them?" Murdoc nodded silently and numbly while a cold beer was set down in front of him. The leader of their band looked at the drink before coming to life suddenly and grabbing the beer, popping open the can with a resounding fizz and raising the can to his lips hungrily. 2D rested his chin in his palm, and watched the bassist down the entire can in one swig before slapping down the empty can with a sigh, "'nother," 2D raised an eyebrow in surprise, "'at bad?" He questioned. Murdoc turned his head to the singer and gave him a level glare, "Yeh let in ten dullard…not a couple."

However, morning in a certain bedroom across the corridor resembled a morning one might see in a picture perfect situation; perhaps in a movie or in a book. The sun shone through the window, the rays gently splashing light over various parts of the room. Everything in the room remained still as if waiting in suspense for the moment when the living being in the center of the room would begin to stir and eventually wake. Currently it was nine o'clock in the morning and the voices in the kitchen became louder over the past hour and were traveling the four steps it took to get the guitarist's room and invading the space noisily. Said person frowned in her sleep, her body refusing to respond to the brains urge to awaken due to such abrupt and upsetting disturbance. However, the young guitarist's motivation to wake up came none to kindly when a vivid memory flashed into her dreaming mind, poisoning such a gentle sleep with venom from years past. Noodle's brow furrowed as the image started out opaque and distant away from where her mind could register it, but it soon became closer and clearer, her breathing becoming labored and her fists clenching her sheets. Suddenly, without warning the image was full in her face and Noodle awoke with an abrupt gasp; the image of a bloody and battered 2D invading her head. Even with her eyes open and trying her hardest to register everything in her room, the image still remained like a shadow in sync with her panting lungs until finally her vision cleared and the horrifying picture left her mind for now. Noodle took one last deep breath before the tension in her body left and she relaxed, sinking into the sheets. She stared at her ceiling, cursing her mind for unlocking such a horrid memory. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand, Noodle sighed upon seeing that it was only nine o'clock when she was usually up around ten. She shrugged and pulled away her sheets and comforter, throwing her feet over the side of the bed where they touched her cold wooden floor. She stretched and yawned, all of the kinks and bunched up muscles from her night's sleep coming loose or popping loudly.

Noodle was raking her fingers through her hair when suddenly she heard all three distinct male voices coming from across the corridor. Her eyes widened and she spun around in her bed to look at her alarm clock to double check the time. Yea, it was nine alright, what the hell were Murdoc and 2D doing up this early? Listening to the muffled voices for a second longer before shaking her head in disbelief, Noodle stood and padded lightly to her bathroom, relieving herself before brushing the morning mouth out of her teeth and washing her face. Walking out of her bathroom towards her door, Noodle wrapped her arms around herself and shivered lightly, looking down and realizing that she was wearing a tank top in which her frigid nipples were very much visible and her legs were exposed to the cold air. The guitarist rolled her eyes, "Great," she mumbled, turning around to her closet and pulling out a plain brown hoodie, sliding it on over her head and rummaging through her dresser drawers to find a pair of pajama pants. After successfully finding a pink pair, she slipped off her boxers and slid on the pants, tying the tie in the front for good measure before padding to her front door and raking her fingers through her hair for the second time. She opened the door and peeked out to see Russel, Murdoc and 2D sitting at the table with empty plates, beer cans and empty glasses in front of them and a serious discussion going on from the looks of it. She quirked an eyebrow and took a step out of her room, purposely announcing her presence with a creaky wooden slab right in front of her door; all three men turning their heads towards her, two out of the three smiling at her.

"Good morning, baby girl," Russel said, standing and going to the stove to make Noodle a plate of the breakfast he'd made. 2D smiled warmly at her and opened his arm to her, welcoming her to stand next to him, "Mornin', love. D'yeh sleep, awright?" he asked innocently, looking up at her from where he sat. Noodle swallowed the lump in her throat upon seeing him shirtless for the second time in nine hours and smiled, walking next to him so he wrapped his arm around her waist with a gentle squeeze, "Yea, I slept fine, you?" she asked, giving in to the urge and running her fingers through his spiky blue locks since she felt she had the right now that they were a couple of sorts. The singer did his best to keep his composure and resist purring due to the attention she was giving to his scalp. He cleared his throat, his eyelids drooping in bliss, "Uh, yeah I did. I was jus' out runnin' 'is mornin' 'en I accidentally let some zombies in," Noodle's eyes widened and she took a reflexive step back towards her room to retrieve her weapon, but stopped when 2D tightened his grip on her waist, "and a couple of 'em—"

"Ten," growled the Satanist who was watching the conversation between them, earning a small smile from Noodle. 2D cleared his throat again, "Ten got into the car park and into Mud's Winnie. And then here we all are, waiting for you," he said with a wink that made Noodle blush. Before she could respond to the horror story that happened before she had even woken up, Murdoc got her attention by lightly pinching her elbow, "Yea, well 'at's old news love. Wot I need yo' 'elp wit' is 'at 'is one," he said pointing an accusing finger at the singer and receiving a cocky smile in return, "'ink's 'e can lift o'er two 'undred pounds. Lards," he said pointing at Russel, who had just set down another plate of Crepe Suzettes in front of 2D and Noodle, "refuses to participate in 'is lil' experiment so I need yeh to sit on dullard's back while 'e does some pushups," he said, leaning back and picking up a beer can he'd been nursing. Noodle frowned, her attention to the singer's scalp deceasing, "You think I'm _two hundred pounds_!" she growled out, her eyes widening dangerously. Murdoc's eyes widened as well as he realized his error in assuming a woman's weight or even questioning it and he visibly shrank back until 2D came to his rescue. He spun Noodle around gently and smiled warmly at her, her knees immediately going weak before he even spoke, "No, love, yeh see it's jus' 'at yo' the only one close enough to two 'undred pounds, even though it's a long shot, other 'an Muds o'er 'ere an' yeh know none of us wana see 'im on my back, right darlin'?" he asked, winking at her. Noodle stared at him for a second before rolling her eyes and taking a step back, "Fine, I'll do it."

Murdoc grinned wickedly, "Yes! Awright, dullard, down on yo' 'ands an' feet! I know yo' lyin'!" 2D grinned and slid out of the chair, moving away from the table so he had enough room and lying himself chest down on the floor so Noodle could sit down on his back. Noodle glanced at him reluctantly before grabbing her plate of food and a fork and stepping on either side of the singer, "What's the point of this again?" She asked, glancing at Murdoc. The Satanist grinned wickedly, "'cause 'ercules o'er 'ere's been sayin' he's been workin' out and runnin' an' I jus' don't believe it," Noodle sighed and squatted down on her boyfriend's shoulder's, her rear facing his head and her feet towards his rear. She positioned herself cross-legged on his back and began cutting her food with the fork and popping into her mouth. When 2D didn't move she glanced over her shoulder at him, swallowing her food, "'D, what's wrong?" He cocked his head to the side so he could glance at her, "Are yeh balanced like 'at, love?"

Noodle snorted, "Trust me, I can stay balanced," she said, cutting another piece of her strawberry-filled Crepe Suzette and stabbing it with her fork, popping it into her mouth. Murdoc snickered, "Yea, dullard! Stop wastin' time an' give meh twenty!" And with that 2D started lifting himself and Noodle off the ground in a perfect push up, much to everyone's amazement. Russel's eyes widened as he leaned over the table to look on the floor at the couple on the floor. Murdoc's eyes widened as well, his mouth dropping open as well as he watched 2D lift himself and an unfazed Noodle off the floor with little to no struggle. The singer counted off the lifts to himself, or tried to, as he got slightly distracted by Noodle's cute rear sitting in between his flexing shoulder blades. Little did he know Noodle was focused on those same shoulder blades pinching her rear every time they flexed. After he counted off twenty to himself silently, while Murdoc and Russel counted to themselves as well, he lowered himself all the way to the ground. Noodle took this as a sign that he was exhausted so she grabbed onto Murdoc's leg with one hand and pulled herself up with a small amount of assistance from him leaning down and grabbing her arm, but the moment she was up, 2D hopped up as well, inclining his back to pop it and stretching out the rest of the kinks before sighing happily, "Need to do 'at more often," he said, sitting down in his seat again like it was nothing. All three of his band mates' mouths dropped open in shock. Russel shook his head, "He's like a mutant or some shit."

Noodle snorted and stepped towards her new boyfriend, 2D gently grabbing her waist and sitting her down in his lap, her back resting against his hard chest and his thicker arms wrapping around her waist while she cut herself a piece of her breakfast and popped it into her mouth again. It was Murdoc's turn to shake his as he stared at 2D in disbelief, "I guess I stand corrected, mate," he said reaching out and shaking hands once with 2D before leaning back, still shaking his head. Noodle ignored the exchange, stabbing a piece of food and holding the fork over her shoulder for 2D, the singer leaning forward gently and grabbing the piece with his teeth before closing his mouth over the fork and pulling away from it, thanking her with a squeeze around her waist. Noodle smiled, slightly thrilled with herself and the past thirteen hours and leaned her head back against his, nuzzling him lightly. Russel stood with a sigh, grabbing everyone else's plate and depositing them in the sink turning the water on to rinse before turning around and grabbing some of the glasses, "So what are yo' plans for today," he asked the couple with a glance. Noodle didn't answer, just looked up at him innocently before turning her head to 2D with a shrug. 2D grinned sheepishly, "Well, actually I need to go shoppin' fo' some clothes since none of mine fit anymore."

Noodle snorted again with a chuckle and Murdoc just rolled his eyes, slightly jealous of the slightly muscular singer. Russel chuckled as well, turning his attention back to the dishes, "And you Muds? Any plans of the musical type?" Noodle glanced from Russel to Murdoc, chewing on a piece of food with 2D glancing at Murdoc as well. The bassist sighed, "Yes, actually I've been thinkin' of some stuff, _lards_, if yeh'll jus' let meh think it out all the way," Russel shrugged, "S'yo own time, man."

With that Noodle swallowed her last bit of her breakfast and stood out of the singer's lap, walking around the table to the sink where Russel was and leaving it there for him. She turned around to 2D and smiled nervously, "Do you want me to go shopping with you, Stu?" She asked. He smiled back at her and nodded, "'course, love," Noodle bit her lip and walked past him, raking her fingers through his hair on her way to her room, "Alright, let me just take a shower and then we can go," she said, opening the door to her room and closing it gently, leaning against her door with a wide grin, "Perfect!" she whispered, allowing herself to indulge in some excitement.

On the other side of the door, 2D stood slowly with a sigh, "I think I'm gona do the same, mate," he said, walking past Murdoc, clapping a hand on the bassist's shoulder on his way out the door. He walked down the hallway to the living room at the end of the hall before turning right and taking the stairs down to the car park. Murdoc sighed, back in the kitchen, "I think 'ey're in deep, Russ," the Satanist said of the couple. The big man snorted, "I know, man. I know."

Noodle stripped off her hoodie, camisole and pajama pants and threw them in the hamper in her bathroom. After a quick glance to check that her towel was where it was supposed to be, hanging above her hamper, the guitarist pulled back her shower curtain and twisted the knob for the hot water.

Nothing happened.

She frowned at the faucet and twisted it further. Still nothing happened. She reached over to the cold knob and twisted that one as well. Not a drop. Noodle's eyes widened in panic until she realized what the problem was with an annoyed groan. Those damn zombies had the tendency to get inside the pipe lines of Kong Studios and for some crazy reason the only water line connector they messed with was hers. Twisting the knobs back off she stood and grabbed her towel off the rack, wrapping it around her body securely and walking to her closet to get some clothes for herself. She opened the doors again and glanced around her wardrobe before frowning at what she was doing by default. She couldn't use 2D's shower! They were…it was…

Every time Noodle's shower didn't work she always went downstairs to use 2D's. Why should the fact that they're dating make that any different? Or awkward?

Noodle shook her head, there weren't any other showers she could use since Russel's was hidden under mounds of dishes in front of the door and Murdoc's was just outright out of the question. So she had to use 2D's, she just didn't know why it was so awkward since they were dating now. Noodle sighed, grabbing a pair of blue jeans and a green tank top from her closet and then the other necessities from her drawer. Straightening her spine, Noodle took a deep breath and opened her bedroom door, peeking to the lift and down the corridor to make sure no one was around. The kitchen was empty which meant Murdoc and Russel were in there rooms and 2D was probably in his as well. She reached out and tapped the lift button, the door opened automatically and she bolted into it, pounding the 'close door' button to shut the doors and hide her mostly naked state. Once the doors shut and the lift began its descent, Noodle bit her lip in hopes that nothing awkward or uncomfortable would arise out of her showing up practically naked to her boyfriend's door to use his shower. Not that she didn't have those kinds of feelings for the singer, but considering they hadn't even kissed yet were grounds for a practical and modest approach. The lift bounced to a stop on the car park level and the door opened, a rush of cool air breezing into the lift and up her towel, giving the naked guitarist the shivers. She ran gently out of the lift and kept herself close to the wall until she reached 2D's door. Looking around to make sure he wasn't outside or that Murdoc may be watching, she leaned in and pressed her ear to the door to hear what he was doing inside his room. After a minute, Noodle frowned; she couldn't hear a single sound. She raised her fist and knocked gently, taking a step away from the door. Still hearing nothing, a few seconds went by and then 2D opened the door…wearing nothing but a towel. Both pair of eyes bulged as they were drawn to certain parts of the opposite body until they both glanced up at each other's eyes. Noodle bit her lip as she stared at his flushed face, "Um, I was going to ask to use your shower 'cause mine's broken again, but…"

2D's eyes widened slightly and he shook his head, "No! No, it's awright, love! Go ahead I was jus'…'bout to brush my teeth…" he said, hoping she'd buy the obvious lie. Noodle grinned at him and took a tender step into his room, turning her back so it was away from him as she entered in the room. 2D frowned at her questioningly as she backed into his room and he shut the door, "Wot's wit' the back step, love?" He asked, his eyes trying their hardest to resist following the lines of her collarbone down to the plunging cleavage that her towel was failing to hide. Noodle smirked at him slyly, placing her clothes down on his bed, "'cause I know what _old men_ like you do when naked young women like me have their backs turned!" She exclaimed with a giggle. 2D growled, "Oh at's it, love…" he said, diving for where she stood next to his nightstand, but Noodle was quicker than that and with a surprised squeak bolted for the bathroom door, 2D hot on her heels. Once inside the bathroom she turned to slam the door shut, but 2D was already on her before she even registered how close he was. Her eyes widened and she gasped as he skidded to a stop in front of her, his long legs tangling with hers and both of them starting to tumble into the bathroom.

It was only by the grace of God and the fact that 2D managed to wrap an arm around Noodle's back and grab onto his doorframe at the same time that kept them from colliding with the tile floor of his bathroom. They both remained still for a moment; Noodle's eyes wrenched shut as she waited for the impact that never came. After a few seconds she peeked one eye open to see a bare chest in front of her and then opened the other one to look up into 2D's black eyes. She glanced down at their bodies to confirm that it was his thighs and her knees that were touching and she giggled, looking back up at him, "This is a scandalous game, 'D. You chasing me around and we're both naked in our towels?" Noodle shook her head, chastising him, "_So_ inappropriate!"

2D smirked seductively, even though he was heavily affected by their "naked bodies" being so close together, as he used the arm holding both of them suspended in the air into a standing position. Once standing steady on their feet, 2D pulled his girlfriend to him in a close embrace. Noodle didn't think twice before cuddling herself close to his chest, wrapping her arms around his midsection, 2D's head bending slightly to rest his cheek on the crown of her head. Noodle sighed, nuzzling her cheek against his bare chest. Regardless of how scandalous it probably was considering they hadn't been together over twenty-four hours, it didn't matter. That moment felt right and perfect, meant just for them and no one else.

Unfortunately, like all good things in life, the loving embrace came to an end and Noodle pulled away from the singer with a sweet smile, "Promise you won't peek?" she whispered, almost afraid that if she spoke too loud too soon she'd shatter what was coming down from the moment. 2D grinned, "No," he said devilishly with a wink. The guitarist rolled her eyes and turned away from him to the shower, "Men," she muttered, bending over carefully to start the water, but not before 2D caught a glimpse of a pale and perfectly round cheek peeking out from under her towel. He caught himself, sort of, and turned towards the sink so he wouldn't scar the young guitarist with the first sight of his…um…erection, to put it delicately, of course. Again, being naked in front of all your band mates is one thing…but being naked and _aroused _is something totally different, especially when there are two other men and only one girl. Noodle started the shower and pulled the curtain back to step in, but not before looking back at 2D and winking seductively before stepping in and pulling the curtain back. The singer's eyes widened, "Yo' teasin' me, love!" he exclaimed from where he stood with his pelvis smashed against the counter.

Noodle stuck her hand out with the towel in her grasp, "Hey Stu?" she said sweetly, "Can you put this on the rack for me?" 2D bit his lip and walked over to the shower, glad Noodle wasn't going to peek out and see his thing trying to peek at her. However, an evil thought occurred to him and before grabbing the towel he grabbed her wrist and gave a small tug, earning a knee-jerk reaction and a shriek from the guitarist before grabbing the towel out of her hand and folding it over the rack. He heard her hiss from behind the curtain, "That's not funny, Stuart Tusspot!" 2D snorted, positioning himself back in front of his mirror, grabbing his toothbrush, "Actually I thought it was quite funny, love," he snickered, squeezing toothpaste onto the brush before shoving it into his mouth and brushing what teeth he had vigorously.

From inside the shower Noodle rolled her eyes and grabbed the bar of soap that was available, "Ha ha, smart ass, ha ha," and began soaping up her freshly waxed body. She heard a giggle and some more brushing as 2D brushed his teeth. Noodle shook her head, putting the soap down and rinsing off her body thoroughly. Glancing around the shower she spotted 2D's shampoo and squeezed a moderate amount into her hand and lathered it enthusiastically into her hair as she grinned of her situation. She couldn't believe she was showering _naked_ in 2D's bathroom and he was barely a foot away from her. It was enough to give a girl the chills. It's not everyday the love of your life offers up such delicious eye candy willingly anyway. Tipping her head back with another grin, Noodle rinsed all of the shampoo out of her hair. Once finished, she turned off the shower and squeezed most of the water out from her clean hair. She pulled back the shower curtain enough to stick her head out, wrapping the rest around herself for cover and glanced around the bathroom. 2D was sitting on the toilet lid with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, his arms folded over his chest. He grinned at her with a wink and she giggled, reaching out and grabbing the towel off the towel rack not far away from her and pulled it into the stall with her. She flipped her head over and dried her hair the best she could before flipping her damp hair back over her head and wrapping the towel securely around her body and stepping out of the shower stall tenderly. She grinned at 2D with a light blush on her cheeks as the tall singer stood to his full height and walking towards her as she tiptoed away from him backwards like prey being backed into a corner. 2D smirked, "So do I get brownie points fo' not peekin' in on yeh?" He asked, reaching out raking his fingers through her wet hair when she backed herself into the doorframe of his open bathroom door. Noodle bit her lip with a grin, contemplating whether or not she should give in to what both of them clearly want or wait and tease the blue-haired singer a little more. She realized, however, that both of them being part of the way naked may not be the right time since things might go farther than either of them intended due to convenience. So she smirked back at him and waggled her finger, correcting her backwards pathway and moving out the bathroom door, "Nah uh uh! Not until you take a shower, 'cause you stink!" Noodle said, pointing a finger at him as she backed into his room.

"All 'ese insults! One would think yeh 'ated 'is poor bloke…" he said, posing his hand over his heart and mocking a hurt expression.

"Well, that's what you get for being a dirty old man!" She snickered, spinning around to the singer's bed and pulling out her undergarments from the pile. She gasped, though, when a long pair of arms snaked around her middle and pulled her back against the singer's rock hard midsection. Her breathing became labored almost instantaneously as she felt his head move next to hers and he chuckled into her left ear, "I'll 'old yeh to 'at, love," he said with a gentle squeeze before releasing her and walking into the bathroom. Noodle waited a second before turning around and gasping out loud when she saw that 2D's bathroom door was still open and a bare leg had just disappeared behind the shower curtain, his towel already hanging on the rack where Noodle's had been not even seconds earlier. Noodle bit her lip, but couldn't help but smile. He was being so obvious…but, he wasn't really acting any differently than before he'd left, was he? All four members had seen each other naked so many times (accident or not) that they'd just begun to disregard the whole privacy factor. Noodle, being the only girl, learned the hard way that no locked door is going to keep Russel Hobbs, Murdoc Nicalls or Stuart Tusspot from getting to her, regardless of what she was doing or where she was. So, inevitably, she got used to them walking in on her while she was in the shower or in her room changing, but she did train them that if she did by any chance lock the door (which was rare nowadays) to at least knock.

Noodle frowned, glancing behind her one last time at the shower curtain that hid 2D before dropping the towel that covered her naked body and began to dress herself, starting with her thong panties, sliding her legs in one at a time. She was beginning to think that she was being bashful and shy due to the fact that the singer and her were a couple now and society states that those kinds of "things" shouldn't occur until later on in the relationship. Noodle snorted, 2D knew what she looked like naked as did she know what he looked like naked. Modesty counts for what at this point? She should just hop in there with him right now and give him a big, fat, juicy kiss on the lips…

Although the thought was appeasing in many ways, Noodle, again, knew that if she did such a thing that it would probably lead down a path neither of them was ready for simply because they'd both be naked at the same time in the heat of a moment. As Noodle slid her pants on and then her shirt over her bra, she glanced back at the shower curtain with a devilish grin. 2D was probably realizing the same thing she was; that neither one of them should be too embarrassed about their nudity since they'd seen it before, but if the guitarist knew the singer like she did…he wasn't about to make a move to oppose this realization.

Noodle bit her lip again, pondering her evil plan, as she brushed her already dry hair out with the hair brush she'd brought down. When her hair was in its usual choppy, stick straight fashion, she tossed the brush on the bed and grabbed her toothbrush. She spun around enthusiastically and marched into the steamy bathroom, grinning when she heard 2D singing 'Feel Good Inc.' She glanced at his sink and blessed her good fortune that his toothpaste was no where in sight, thus giving her a reason for her evil plan. She cleared her throat loudly and called out, "Hey 'D?"

He stopped singing, "Yes, love?" he called. Noodle grinned widely before changing her expression to a serious one and marching up to the shower and yanking aside the curtain. 2D's head whipped in her direction with a gasp upon being exposed. His eye's widened and his mouth dropped open when he saw her standing there fully clothed staring at his nakedness. Noodle fought a tough battle to keep herself from laughing hysterically at the exposed singer. She arched one eyebrow and held up her toothbrush with her other hand, "Where's your toothpaste?" 2D's eyes widened again, she had to see him stark naked to ask for toothpaste? Before she'd peeked in on him, 2D'd had the soap in one hand and was supporting himself against the shower wall with the other hand. He glanced at the medicine cabinet above his sink and pointed with the hand holding the soap, "S'in the cabinet, love," he said, still staring at her in disbelief. Noodle smiled sweetly, "Thanks!" Before sliding the curtain back closed on him and turning to the medicine cabinet to get her toothpaste. She bit the inside of her cheek since she knew she couldn't let up on the serious façade just yet; 2D was a tall guy, he could _easily_ see over the shower curtain and was probably staring at her right now. She squeezed the toothpaste onto the brush and shoved it into her mouth, letting out a sigh to relieve some emotion that she was just dying to let out.

2D stared at the curtain in amazement. Noodle, his girlfriend, had just stood there and, in a completely serious face, asked him for his toothpaste while he stood there ass naked. 2D shook his head to snap himself out of his reverie and quickly put the soap that he'd been holding down and rinsed himself hurriedly. He shut off the water to the shower, Noodle on the other side of the curtain going wide eyed and flinching upon hearing this, and ripped the curtain to the side, glaring at where Noodle stood brushing her teeth skeptically. She glanced at his naked form, but said nothing, still brushing her teeth. He quirked an eyebrow and slowly grabbed the towel off the rack, covering his head and drying it vigorously, grinning behind the towel because his manhood was still exposed and Noodle was probably eyeing it right now. He pulled the towel off his head, his blue spikes popping into place now that they were dry and looked to see if his prediction was true, but instead Noodle had already finished; leaving her toothbrush by his sink. He looked out his door while wrapping the towel around his waist and saw her sitting on his bed and putting on her shoes that she'd left there last night. 2D frowned, a little hurt by the lack of attention and stepped out of the shower, stomping lightly into his bedroom, past his nonchalant girlfriend, to his dresser. He opened one drawer and pulled out a pair of blue flannel boxers and a pair of pink socks at random before closing the drawer. With his back still turned, 2D loosened his towel around his waist and let it drop to the floor. Noodle, who had been sitting on the bed with her back to the wall, stared wide-eyed at the singer's naked rear before blushing furiously and turning her concentration back to her hands in her lap.

2D grinned and unfolded his socks, taking his leisurely time in putting each one on his feet. Then he slid his boxers on, one leg at a time before sighing happily, turning around in the same breath and walking to his bed where the pants he'd been wearing (when he came back yesterday) and the shirt were on the floor next to Noodle. He sat down next to her legs, missing the angry glare she shot him and picked up his pants, examining them for no reason at all before sliding them on his legs and over his rear, leaning back all the way on her thighs so he could button the pants before reaching down again for his shirt and putting that on as well. He grabbed his shoes and slid them on before turning to her with a sweet smile and a pat on her leg, "Ready to go, love?" He asked. Noodle rolled her eyes at him, "I keep telling you…you're a dirty old man…"

2D's feigned being hurt before scooting closer to her so that they're hips were parallel and he leaned in so their noses were almost touching, "Yeh keep sayin' 'at people are gona think it's true love!" He whispered with a wink. Noodle ignored the comment as she glanced at his lips, biting her own due to nervousness. They were in the same position as last night…not even twenty-four hours into their relationship…

2D smiled at her and Noodle suddenly didn't care about the statistics of their relationship as she lost herself in that gorgeous smile of his. She hesitated, but after a mental bantering she reached her hand up to the back of his neck, her fingers curling around the hair at the nape of his neck. 2D played dummy, letting Noodle take the lead and following her example leaned in so that their lips were nearly touching. He stopped there, waiting for Noodle to go the rest of the way. She didn't disappoint him; she closed the distance in between their lips, parting hers against his in a sweet and tender, yet sexy and seductive kiss. 2D parted his as well, allowing his experience to guide her naïveté as his tongue slid across the crack of her parted lips. Noodle, out of sheer want or just inner feeling parted her lips even more, her jaw opening to allow his tongue to enter into her mouth and teach hers how to move against his. The young guitarist began to move her tongue against his, slow at first so she could get a feel for what a tender, loving kiss was.

However, as the want and need began to build within both their bodies, 2D grunted against her lips, picking her up off his bed and positioning her in his lap so she was straddling him. The kiss became more urgent and needy, their hands roaming all over each others bodies; into blue, spiky hair or caressing the smooth arc of a feminine back. Their tongues began to wage a lover's war as 2D dominated hers aggressively. Noodle, riding on sheer naïveté, pushed the singer's shoulders so he fell back onto his bed, their lips never parting as she followed him down to the mattress. When Noodle was completely parallel to 2D's face, something swung and hit him lightly under his chin before resting against it. After both of them opened their eyes, 2D gently pulled away from Noodle, who had felt this as well, and angled his head down to see what had hit him. He smiled, though, lifting his hand up and grabbing the wooden charm from Noodle's necklace in between in big fingers.

"You still 'ave 'is?" he whispered from swollen lips, glancing up at her through black eyes. Noodle smirked seductively at him, bending down and kissing his cheek, "'course I do…you gave it to me," she began to stand, grabbing his hand and bringing him with her. When both were standing, she launched herself into his arms in a big hug, nuzzling her cheek against his chest, "I missed you so much," she whispered. 2D sighed, resting his cheek against the top of her head, "I missed yeh too, love."

The couple stood there for several minutes, both of them soaking up the love neither one of them was ready to admit was even there. Finally Noodle pulled away with a smile; 2D smiling back at her and bending down a ways to give her a peck on the lips, "Yeh ready to go, love?" Noodle nodded, moving away from him to grab her cell phone that she'd brought down with her and shoving it in her back pocket. 2D grabbed his cell phone as well, remembered that his keys were still in the ignition of the car he still hadn't driven yet, and patted his back pocket for his wallet. Reassured that everything was there, he grabbed Noodle's hand, leading her out of his bedroom and into the car park. After shutting his bedroom door, he walked the short distance past the Winnebago and his now rotting Camry to Murdoc's replacement Camaro that matched the one 2D had so long ago. Upon seeing the car, Noodle snorted, chuckling to herself. The singer glanced back at her curiously, "Wot's so funny?"

Noodle sighed, wiping away a tear that had begun to fall, "The color matches your hair," she said, commenting on the car's peculiar shade of blue that matched his hair perfectly. 2D frowned, glancing at the car and wondering if he'd missed the joke, "Yea…it always 'as love," he said. Noodle snickered, "_All_ of your hair," she said, glancing down at his crotch before looking back up at him. 2D rolled his eyes at the crude comment about his naturally blue pubic hair, and opened the passenger door for Noodle, "An' yo' callin' _me_ the dirty ol' man…" he mumbled, shutting the door and walking around his car to get into the driver's seat. Once inside, the singer stuck the key in the ignition and paused before starting the car. Noodle quirked an eyebrow, curiously, before placing a hand on 2D's thigh, "Are you ok?" She asked gently. 2D nodded, "Yea, it's jus'…it's been four long years since I've driven 'is car…" he said, awestruck as he gripped the steering wheel. Noodle smiled and patted his leg, leaning back into her seat, "It's a first for both of us, 'D."

The singer nodded, taking another deep breath before snapping the ignition forward and bringing the monstrous car to life with a loud roar that echoed throughout the car park exactly as it had four years ago and beforehand every time there was an early riser with no cigarettes. 2D grinned like a kid at Christmas, however Noodle, along with Russel and Murdoc who could hear the engine upstairs, winced after remembering what happened not even an hour after this rumbling sound had woken all of them that one morning…

Noodle shook the ugly memory from her mind, remembering that Murdoc had replaced the car for a reason and no such incidents' are ever going to happen again. The guitarist glanced at the singer, who was still sitting there grinning, and winced again when she saw his muscles; she'd like to see Murdoc get angry with the keyboardist nowadays with the new developments.

Finally 2D reached down to the gearshift and put the car in drive, slowly, but noisily, driving the car out of its designated parking space and out of the car park into the morning day of August. It was a bit chilly out, so they left the windows up but the sky was a bright blue canvas being danced upon by fluffy clouds. Noodle glanced at 2D and giggled to herself; the thirty-one year old singer looking like a kid whose daddy just bought him a brand new car. His face was alight with joy and his hand stayed poised over the gearshift, as if to pretend the car was a manual. The thrill he felt was indescribable; for four long years he either walked, ran, hailed a taxi or rode the bus. He missed having his own car to drive wherever he pleased. The hardships he faced without a reliable means of transportation…not necessarily devastating but definitely something he'd rather put far, far behind him.

The singer glanced sideways over at the quiet guitarist and grinned happily, grabbing her hand with his free one and entwining their fingers together with a gentle squeeze. Noodle blushed slightly and smiled back at him, still getting used to this new, _intimate_ affection he was showing her that neither of them had ever experienced before with each other; Noodle experiencing none of it before period. The new couple drove to the mall, passersby staring queerly at the car and subconsciously wondering what the peculiar color reminded them of. For safety reasons, for the car and the couple, 2D parked on the top level of the multi-level car park where there were little or no cars in sight. Noodle snickered at there surroundings, "So this was the real plan all along, eh?" She said, glancing over at a confused singer. He cocked his head to the side and she grinned evilly and nodded her head towards the empty lot, "Take me to a secluded area and tell everyone else we're going "shopping"?" She said with another snicker. Once it fully processed in his head, 2D rolled his eyes again and turned off the ignition, "Yo' the one makin' all the dirty jokes 'round 'ere an' _I'm_ the pervert. Justice!" He said, opening his car door to get out. Noodle was about to do the same when she heard a sudden, "Uh uh!" From the singer next to her. She glanced at him skeptically and he waggled a long index finger at her, "Don't touch 'at door, love!" He scolded gently before slamming the driver door and running around the front of the car to the passenger side, opening the door with an exaggerated amount of tenderness for Noodle to get out. He held a hand out for her and she took it, curiously as he helped her out of the car. Once standing and the door was shut, 2D smiled at the still confused Noodle, "Manners, love, manners."

Noodle shrugged, she could live with someone being polite to her. The couple walked together to the nearest elevator, hand in hand, to go down to the third floor of the car park where the second level entrance was to the mall. After getting caught exchanging a few kisses by an older couple trying to get _on_ the elevator, they went inside and went to the nearest store that sold a large amount of graphic t-shirts. It was a small store packed with t-shirts from the floor to the wall and shelves all over the floor. Instead of splitting up to shop for the singer, the couple stayed together, hands locked, and looked at each individual shelf or rack, picking up something that looked appeasing to both of them. Both were shocked, however when they picked up the first shirt and discovered that from this day on, 2D needed a _large_, instead of his usual, small to medium. Noodle snickered to herself, amazed at the effects of muscle.

There was no dressing room in the store so they stuck to a size large and picked up as many shirts as possible with graphics or phrases ranging from cute, to crude, to weird. 2D's favorite wound up being a white shirt with a black and white picture of a man's face with eight ball's for eyes; Noodle's favorite was a light pink shirt that said 'MY GIRLFRIEND'S A ROCK STAR.' After going through the entirety of the store, they both brought an armload of shirts up to the counter and paid, their total being an outrageous number, and the number of shirts purchased being forty-eight. 2D insisted on carrying the three large store bags as Noodle directed him to a department store to buy him jeans. Once they found the men's department, Noodle glanced at 2D's waist with a frown to try and calculate his new waist size. She chewed on the inside of cheek staring at his waist while he looked at jeans before sighing in defeat, "Stu, I need to glance at the tag to see your new pant size," she said, since the jeans he was wearing were the ones he bought while he was away. The singer grinned, cocking his head to the side, "Why didn't yeh jus' ask before, love?" He asked, turning around so his rear was facing her. Noodle shrugged, unsure of the answer herself and flipped the back of his pants down to read the tag, trying her hardest not to giggle at his blue boxers and his cute butt. She shook her head and read the number on the tag, her mouth dropping open at what it said.

"You're a thirty-one!" She gasped. The singer giggled and nodded sheepishly. Noodle gawked at the tag, remembering four years ago when 2D was a twenty-eight. That's a big difference, even with a four year time span. She shook her head, a little exasperated, flipping the back of his pants back up and smacking his lower back, earning a giggle from the tall singer. She looped her arms around his and dragged him over to a shelf with light, faded blue jeans. Both of them perused through the shelves, first looking for the 'long' section before checking for the waist size. Their dear singer was probably one of maybe ten people in Essex with a forty-two inch inseam, so if they had no luck here they'd have to special order them off the internet. Fortunately for the couple, they managed to find a few pairs; light, dark, khaki, another light and black. After scouring the shelves for another hour, they gave up on finding anything else and went to the counter to pay. The couple stood close to each other, Noodle's head resting against 2D's ribcage as she held onto the pants they were purchasing while 2D held the bags from the graphic t-shirt store. There were four or five girls in front of them around Noodle's age or younger and 2D began to shift his weight awkwardly, his teenybopper radar going off full force. Noodle felt him moving constantly and frowned, glancing up at him, "2D, why do you keep fidgeting?" She asked.

_Shit._

Two of the girls looked at each other, wide-eyed, before trying to sneak glances back at the couple behind them. The moment they caught sight of 2D's tall figure and blue hair as well as Noodle standing next to him, they immediately, and none to quietly, announced to their friends around them that, "Oh my God! The singer and guitarist from Gorillaz are, like, right freaking behind us!"

Noodle's eyes widened greatly when she heard this and she immediately began to back away from the line as the girl's didn't hide staring at them. 2D gently placed a hand on her back, though, attempting to keep her in place. Noodle slowly turned around so they couldn't see her face or see what she was saying, "I do _not_ want to be around these people, 'D! Come on, there are other cashier's in this store," she said, motioning with a nod of her head for him to turn around and haul ass out of there. 2D shook his head, "We're next in line, love. We'll be alright," Noodle wanted to believe in the singer's confidence, but she hated overzealous fans…but not as much, however, as she hated overzealous fans that were _girls_ after her band mates…specifically the one she was currently dating. Noodle sighed, still facing 2D's torso and listening to the giggles behind her when she heard 2D chuckle and she looked up at him just in time for him to grab her face and place a tender kiss on her lips. Suddenly the young guitarist was deaf to the world as 2D affected her mind and her body as she became weak in the knees by the enchanting kiss. The gasps, shrieks, cries and shouts in front of them went unheard for the brief moment that they were locked in that kiss.

When they broke apart from the kiss, Noodle was breathless while 2D chuckled again, wrapping his arms around her back as he stood to his full height and pulled her against his torso. The girls in front of them gawked at the couple, but 2D wasn't paying attention since his line of sight was about a foot over their heads. However, the cashier, who wasn't paying attention to who the couple were, cleared her throat rudely to get the girls attention to finish checking out their purchases. Every single one of them was just flustered at what had just happened and were fumbling with their purses and their wallets to pay for their items.

After a few more minutes of an irritated cashier reading the riot act to the stupid teenyboppers, 2D standing in blissful ignorance and Noodle cuddling into his stomach, the girls slowly walked away from the counter, circling around them to stand in the back somewhere and watch them pay. Noodle broke out of her stupor from a gentle shake from 2D and she walked up to the counter, placing the pants on the counter and beginning to separate them one at a time and handing them to the cashier. The woman behind the counter didn't speak, irritated as she was, but she did seem pleased that Noodle was assisting her somewhat. 2D put the bags he was holding down in between his feet and against his shins, pinning them between his legs and Noodle's so nobody would grab them and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. Once all five pairs of pants were scanned, 2D handed the woman his credit card and she glanced at the name before mumbling, "Can I see your ID, please."

2D opened his wallet and pulled out his license, handing it to her. She glanced at the name on the wallet slowly and then glanced at the name on the credit card before glancing at the picture and glancing back at him, her eyebrow quirking slightly, almost in disbelief. With a sigh she began to hand the license back to the singer when she frowned suddenly, bringing the license back up to her face as she scowled at the print. She glanced back up at him with a frown, "This license expired a year ago!" She hissed. 2D winced, realizing that was what he'd forgotten while he was away. His license had never crossed his mind because he didn't have a car and he wasn't buying cigarettes or alcohol anymore so no one ever had to check his license. He sighed, "I've been away for a while an' I 'aven't 'ad a car," her scowl deepened and Noodle's hackles began to rise as she immediately prepared to get on the defensive. The guitarist wasn't surprised 2D would have let his license expire, but all you need is a picture ID to check a credit card. The woman, still frowning, held up the credit card for him to see, "This isn't valid unless it is an active license…I'm going to need another form of payment."

2D frowned this time, which to anybody that has seen him frown knows his almost a horrifying sight. The woman's face did an instant change in expression, from frowning to wide-eyed and scared. 2D sighed again, this time angry, "You don't need a VALID driver's license to check my ID, all you need is a PICTURE ID and as you can tell, expired or not, the picture on that license is clearly me," he said voicing the point Noodle had thought. The woman nodded shakily and swiped the credit card that was in her hand, "Excuse me, I-I'm s-s-sorry for any inconvenience…" she stuttered, handing both cards back to 2D and immediately bagging the pants as the singer put the cards back in his wallet with a slight frown. Noodle stared at him sadly, wishing the teenyboppers and the cashier wouldn't have affected his mood. When the woman was done bagging them, Noodle grabbed the bags while 2D signed the electronic pad and got his receipt. He shoved the receipt in his wallet, stuffing it back into his back pocket and picked up the other bags, turning around and walking away without another word, Noodle following in tow behind him.

They walked silently until they were out of that department store when Noodle finally caught up with the singer and rubbed her elbow against his, "Hey," she said, offering him a smile when he glanced down at her with a frown. 2D sighed, "I'm sorry," he said, "she jus' made meh mad," Noodle nodded, understanding. They slowed their pace as they walked towards the car park for the mall. When they reached the door that led to the car park, 2D awkwardly tried to open the door with all the bags in his hands, causing Noodle to laugh and help him out with her hand, standing on her tiptoes and offering him a kiss for trying. They made it into the elevator and both instantly sighed with relief when the doors closed and they were alone with peace and quiet. Noodle snorted, "Never a dull moment with you is there?" He stood with his head leaned back against the wall of the elevator and his eyes closed and he smiled, "'opefully not, love."

Noodle smiled at him while the doors to the lift opened on the fifth level of the car park, however she winced when she saw his car, remembering what she had learned earlier. She followed him to his car and he pulled his keys out of his pocket, pushing a button and causing the trunk hatch to open automatically. Both of them silently piled in all of their purchases and 2D closed the trunk hatch. He sighed, staring at his car for a moment before glancing at his keys and handing them to Noodle. The guitarist went wide-eyed as she stared at his outstretched arm with the keys to his precious car. She glanced up at him and saw him smiling sheepishly, "Yeh got yo' license on yeh, right love?" He asked. Noodle patted her hand against her back pocket and was thankful to find her cell phone and her license and credit card back there; she nodded. He nodded back at her and held his hand up a little higher with the keys in it, "I don't need to get thrown in jail for an expired license, love," he said. Noodle took the keys with a smile and went forward to kiss him again before he opened the driver's side door for her. She got in and sat in the seat as 2D slammed the door shut, and this time ran over to the passenger's side opening the door and sliding in. Noodle laughed, her feet were completely outstretched and she wasn't even close to touching the gas or break pedals. On the side of the seat was an electric lever and she had to push the seat forward as far as it would go in order for her to drive. 2D chuckled, "I didn't realize yo' were 'at short, love," he said, Noodle laughing with him. She sighed and stuck the key in the ignition, starting the car with a loud roar that resonated the top floor of the car park. Before putting it into drive, she turned to him with a smile, "How about I take you to the DMV?"

2D glanced at the clock on the dashboard and sighed; it was only noon, so the DMV was open since it was a Thursday. He nodded, thudding his head back against the seat, "It's goin' to take forever love, yeh know 'at, right?" he said, rolling his head to glance at her. She shrugged, grabbing his hand and entwining her fingers with his, "At least I'll be with you," she said with a coy smile before shifting the car into reverse to back out the spot and then into drive to leave the top level of the car park.

&&&&

The couple stood in the doorway of the DMV, their mouths gaping open at the sight before them.

There wasn't a single customer inside. Not one.

Glancing at each concernedly, like something was probably wrong, they walked slowly towards the front counter with a large, old sign above an older looking man that said LICENSE RENEWAL. He was reading a book and looked up at the pair through his bifocals before sighing in annoyance and tossing the book aside, narrowing a level glare at them.

"Can I 'elp, yo'?" he asked in a pitch that rivaled 2D's.

Noodle glanced around the office one more time, "Um, isn't this place usually packed? Where is everybody?" The old man rolled his eyes exaggeratedly and sighed again, "E'ryones on holiday! 'ere 'ave you lot been?"

2D and Noodle went through their mental calendars, searching for the nearest holiday that was in August. When neither of them found one, they exchanged confuses glances before staring at the already annoyed clerk behind the desk. He sighed again, "Summer's almost o'er kiddies! Come on, now, think!"

Noodle was getting annoyed with the man's attitude and the fact that he expected them to know everything. Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring ran together for her because she wasn't being schooled anymore so there was no lapse of vacation, just employment by default. She shook her head and placed one hand on the counter, the other pointing at the singer standing next to her, "He needs to renew his license. It's expired," Instantly this caused the old man to roll his eyes again and began to go through his usual routine of renewing a license to a customer; something he'd probably done over a million times. He whipped out a form and told 2D to fill out the entire form while he asked him for obvious information as he searched for the singer's profile in the computer. The man was looking over the contents of the profile to verify its contents when 2D finished writing down his 411 on the form and sliding it to the old clerk behind the counter.

"May I see yo' old license for picture verification…please," if his voice was anymore monotone, Noodle would have thought the man was fake. 2D brandished his expired license and pushed that to the man as well, the old clerk snatching it up off the counter and holding it up in front of his face so 2D's face was right next to the picture he was holding up. The man frowned, as if realizing that 2D's eyes weren't contacts and his hair had indeed been that shade of blue for over four years before sliding the license back to 2D. The old man sighed again, pressing a key on the computer and the printer next to it instantly coming to life, printing a copy of 2D's new license and going over the fact that the hard copy would be mailed to the address within four weeks, blah, blah, blah.

Noodle grabbed the license and folded the full sheet of paper so she could tear off the excess around the license. 2D pulled out a credit card and paid the man for the cost of the renewal before the couple was able to walk out the door. While 2D held the door open for her, Noodle fished her cell phone out of her pocket and glanced at the time: twelve-thirty. Her brow went up in shock and she nodded, not bad. It took fifteen minutes to get there and they spent fifteen minutes in here. She also handed 2D his keys with a smile, "Since you're a legal driver again," she said as the keys were dropped into his open hands.

"Yay," he said, smiling back at her and wrapping his arm around her as they walked to his car.

&&&&

Back at Kong Studios, there was no one to be seen on the main levels. Everything was quiet and nothing, not even a shadow or a roach moved along the lit corridors…almost like the place was abandoned again.

However, this was not to be true…not again, not for a long time. If you walked down a certain corridor and opened a certain door, ignored the drunken alligator and the nudist polar bear and walked into that last door, you'd hear the entire building of Kong Studios come to life in that one little room. A pounding beat that subconsciously made your feet tap on the floor, your hips sway back and forth and your head bob up down from the sound that was pumping out of that room.

The sound was none other than Russel, his drumsticks beating relentlessly against his drums in correspondence to the notes that were scrawled sloppily on a sheet of paper in front of him. He grinned to himself as his eyes scanned over the piece of paper, his hands mimicking what his mind was processing. He put more spunk into this piece than he would have any other piece; simply because he was excited and thrilled at the fact that he was playing and that there was hope for their band after all.

On the other side of the glass that separated them, Murdoc stood with his chin resting against his fingers and his palm holding his elbow as he watched the giddy drummer intently. Despite the fact that the sheet notes looked like they were written in five minutes, it had taken the Satanist over a month to put together Russel's segment. He sighed, which was becoming a part of his charactermore and more, thinking about the other segments that he had to work into the song. Lyrics were out of the question at this point, especially since all he had was a drum piece, he needed to add a bass section and sit down with Noodle to figure out how to link her guitar with the drums and bass before they could add in lyrics. He didn't even have a name for the song; he'd been listening to White Light when he'd been inspired to write Russel's drum segment. He knew they'd been waiting for him to do something within the time span that their singer had been gone. It was his band so rightfully the decision was his, but he'd been hesitant about making that painful decision, and rightfully so apparently. Either the three of them would work it out without the singer's voice or they'd split up permanently and forget the past four years of band history ever happened. Fortunately, Murdoc procrastinated on such a decision in order to keep the three of them together for as long as possible, whether the sing came back or not; which eventually he did. Murdoc glanced at the clock on the wall; Russel had been playing the same piece over and over again for an hour now and he pretty much had it down almost perfect. Now the bassist would have to write the other segments before he could put the song together and officially name Gorillaz as back in business.

Suddenly the studio door opened, although Russel didn't hear it, and in walked in 2D and Noodle; both wide eyed in wonder. Murdoc watched Noodle stare at Russel playing his heart out on the drums before looking at Murdoc with a desperate look of hope in her eyes. Murdoc dropped his hand away from his face and smirked, causing the young guitarist to smile happily before launching herself at the Satanist in a fit of giggles. He wrapped his arms around her gently as she squeezed him in a big hug before she pulled away to stare happily into his eyes, "So does this mean we're back on? Are we gona start working again?" 2D came up behind the Axe Princess, his expression neutral as the couple waited for a response from the bassist. Murdoc grinned lightly down at Noodle before nodding, "Jus' gotta write and incorporate all the other pieces before we 'ave a song, love," Noodle's face brightened instantly into a smile before she hugged Murdoc again with a squeal. Murdoc patted her back awkwardly, glancing at the smiling singer, raising an eyebrow with a sigh. Then he noticed that Russel's drums had stopped and the big man was walking into the desk room with a silly grin on his face.

"I don't know about y'all, but I'm excited," Noodle pulled away from Murdoc's embrace and smiled widely at the drummer, "I am too! I'm so glad we're back on!"

Murdoc pressed the stop button to stop recording for Russel's drum piece and ejected the cassette with another sigh, laying the tape down next to the recorder and rubbing his eyes. He pulled his hands away, though, when he felt a hand rubbing his back and saw Noodle smiling at him gently; 2D and Russel staring at him from where they stood by the door. Noodle raised a brow in concern, "Have you been sleeping?" Murdoc shook his head and Noodle rolled her eyes with a smile, looping her arm with his and gently pulling him out of the desk room, the singer and the large drummer parting to let them pass and then following behind.

"Don't worry about the song for now, Murdoc; we can work on that another time. For now I want you to go to bed," Murdoc was about to open his mouth in protest, but noticed that he couldn't see where he was going due to his eyes drooping. Noodle steadied him as they walked out of the studio and into the corridor that led to the lobby. Noodle heard footsteps behind her and glanced back to see 2D strutting calmly behind her; Russel having taken the lift up to the kitcen. Noodle smiled at the singer before looking ahead of her again and opening the door into the next corridor that would lead to the car park. Murdoc mumbled something incoherent and began to stumble forward. Noodle gasped out loud as the Satanist fell closer and closer to the floor; his weight too much for her to handle.

2D, however, had lunged forward just in time to keep the exhausted bassist from face-planting in the middle of the hallway by grabbing one shoulder and wrapping his arm around the man's torso. The three of them were still for a moment (Murdoc was unconscious) until Noodle let out a sigh of relief when she realized that Murdoc wasn't eating the carpet. 2D picked Murdoc up in his arms and Noodle got the door that led to the car park and the two of them walked silently to the Satanist's Winnie; Murdoc limp in 2D's arms. Noodle opened the Winnebago door as well and stepped inside, silently surprised to find that Murdoc was maintaining his housekeeping as 2D walked past her and deposited the still unconscious bassist on his bed with a sigh. He turned around and walked towards Noodle with a smile, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her to him with a hug.

"It doesn't stink in 'ere," he said, observing the inside of Murdoc's home. Noodle chuckled, "Yes, he's been keeping it clean since..." Noodle let the sentence drift off, neither of them really wishing to talk about such painful memories ever again.

The two walked out of the Winnebago and shut the door, walking towards 2D's room. Noodle sighed, pulling her phone out of her back pocket to check the time. It was only four o'clock. She groaned, "'D I'm starving," she said. The singer glanced at her phone as well and pursed his lips in thought.

"We can see what Russel's making," he suggested and Noodle nodded, both of them heading towards the lift.

Unfortunately for the couple, Russel had already prepared food for himself and holed himself up in his room for a four hour hibernation. Noodle slumped into a chair with a groan. She didn't feel like cooking, she didn't want to go out again and in the eight years that she'd lived in Kong Studios she learned that every business in Essex knew not to deliver to this address; so that plan was screwed. 2D breezed past the distraught girl and opened the cabinet, pulling out several cans of tomatoes and opening another cabinet and digging through it before pulling out two boxes of pasta. Noodle arched her brow in confusion at this, "Stu, what are you doing?"

"Cooking," he said nonchalantly. Noodle's eyes bulged at this and her mouth dropped open as she watched him retrieve pots, pans and a blender. From what she could remember in the past, 2D never lifted a finger to cook, not out of laziness, but for the simple fact that the poor man had never cooked something in his life. Noodle smirked when 2D bent over in the fridge and rifled through it, his rear right next to where she sat. 2D stood with a clove of garlic the guitarist didn't even know they had and walked over to the blender again.

Noodle cleared her throat, "You cook?" she asked. 2D turned around and smiled at her, "'ad to eat somehow, love. Can't survive off takeout every night while you're traveling," Noodle shrugged, giving him that as he turned around and began opening the cans of tomatoes.

"I'm gona make yeh somethin' a guy in Italy taught meh 'ow to make," he said, tossing one can of tomatoes in the blender with a clove of garlic. Noodle chuckled again, "I've had spaghetti before 'D," she said. He turned on the blender and turned around, walking over to her and leaning over the table to give her a peck on the lips before saying, "Not like this, love," he said with a wink.

True to his word, Noodle could not believe how tasty the simple pasta was and had almost eaten half her body weight in it. It took a while to make so the couple had started eating at five thirty and took about two hours to eat since Noodle kept kissing and complimenting him and eventually the two would get distracted. Noodle sat sprawled in her chair with her hand over her stomach while 2D finished off his beer. She groaned and rolled her head to the side, "I have never eaten so much before...and it was completely worth it."

2D grinned, "Glad yeh liked it, love," he said, tossing the can into the garbage and standing with his dish in hand and depositing it in the sink. Noodle stood as well, with some effort, and grabbed her plate and water glass and dragged herself over to the sink, putting the dishes in it before stomping down the hall to the living room, 2D following her. She plopped on the couch with a groan, the singer seating himself next to her and grabbing the remote, turning the telly on and immediately flipping to the science fiction channel, gasping in excitement when (of course) an oldies zombie flick marathon was on. Noodle snorted at the irony and immediately curled herself into the singer's side, his arm finding its way around her waist as the couple cuddled together on the couch and watched hours of old, black and white zombie flicks.

**THREE HOURS LATER**

2D, somehow, was still awake watching zombies movies he'd seen a hundred times before. Noodle, on the other hand, had passed out an hour and a half ago and was asleep in his lap, her face pressed against his side and her arms curled against his abdomen. 2D sighed to himself, a little tired and bored from the flick he'd seen before. He glanced down and smiled at his sleeping girlfriend, her expression one of total ease and peace. The singer glanced at the clock on the wall, ten fourty-two, holy crap. With another sigh to himself, 2D wrapped his arm under the crook of the guitarist's knee's, his other arm supporting her back as he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. Fumbling with her in his arms and the doorknob, the lanky keyboardist finally managed to enter the young Japanese woman's room and walked silently and stealthily to her bed, gently placing her down on the bed so as not to wake her. However, when he reached over to cover her with the sheet, Noodle nudged his thigh that was close to her face with her hand and groaned, her eyes still closed, "Pajamas..."

2D nodded even though she didn't see it, "Yeh want yo' PJ's, love?" he asked in a whisper. Noodle nodded, rolling onto her back, her head lolling to the side, "Put 'em on me..."

2D arched his brow in confusion, silently wondering if he heard her right. Did she really just ask him to undress her and then put her pajamas on? 2D sighed, twenty-four hours and they'd already skipped several steps in a normal courtship. Noodle shifted in her bed again and groaned, "Please?" The singer shrugged, if that's what she wanted him to do. He walked over to her dresser and went through each drawer before successfully finding a pair of her pajama pants and a shirt of his that she'd borrowed when she was younger that said, "I'd rather be singing!" It looked like it'd still be big on her. He walked back over to her with her pajamas and found that the guitarist was completely out cold. He sighed, glancing at the clothes in his hands and then back at her. He almost felt like he was molesting her since she was unconscious, but he convinced himself with an affirmative nod that she had specifically asked him to put her pajamas on, himself. 2D put her clothes on the bed and gently lifted her into a sitting position, sitting behind her so he could support her upper body with his while he fumbled to take her tank top off. The whole time Noodle remained limp in his arms, her breathing even as she slept unaware. The singer grabbed her bra snaps in his fingers and was about to take it off when he stopped and glanced at her night shirt. He bit his lip, whether they'd seen each other naked or not his conscience was screaming at him not to do this no matter what she said. So, 2D grabbed her nightshirt and pulled it on over her head, maneuvering her bra off under her shirt with out fondling her or seeing anything inappropriate.

Noodle remained asleep as 2D stood to remove her pants. After some difficulty, he managed to get the blue jeans off only to remember that Noodle specifically never wore underwear when she slept. 2D growled under his breath in annoyance after already seeing that she was wearing a thong; she'd just have to deal with the underwear because he refused to take it off without her consent. Sliding on the pants with a relieved sigh, the singer tossed her worn clothes on the floor and pulled the covers over body. He leaned down and gave her a peck on the lips, smiling as she moved in her sleep with a small moan. 2D stood and backed away slowly from his girlfriend before stopping suddenly and staring at her with a frown. He turned around and glanced at the door before back at her and shrugged his shoulders with a snort. Kicking off his shoes, 2D climbed into the queen size bed next to Noodle and cuddled up next to her, the guitarist automatically shifting her body to fit against his. 2D smiled and hugged her against him with a contented sigh as he drifted off to sleep next to his girlfriend.

**A/N: The last couple of pages of this were written in WordPad...which doesn't have a spell check as far as I could tell. So if towards the end of the story you start to notice some MAJOR spelling or grammatical errors, don't mind them and trust me I'll fix them as soon as I get Microsoft Word back. I hope you enjoyed!**


	6. Chapter 6

Left Behind

By: keep.your.groove.on.baby

**Disclaimer: I still do not own any of the characters associated with Gorillaz. All rights reserved to Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn.**

Chapter Six

The next morning proved to be surprising to the residents of Essex as the sky was as clear as yesterdays was and the sun shone through the windows and cracks of every home once again, waking the residents earlier than usual...especially what they're used to in August. Down the road from the nicer neighborhoods and the cracks in the sidewalk that accompanied the disrepair of the pavement there stood the eerie building that was always and forever Kong Studios. The landfill was still a landfill but it remained motionless for the time being. That is...until the sun hid behind the clouds for the briefest of moments. There were no birds this time; what few had remained the previous morning had been captured in their sleep and none had ignorantly migrated over to the scarce trees of the landfill since then.

Through the entrance of the car park one can still see the many investments of the residences of Kong Studios, however one such resident happened to be stomping out of his mobile home, sleepily, stretching in the open space and yawning. The shirtless bassist scratched his sides as he collected the taste of morning mouth and spat on the floor of the car park. Murdoc sighed, and slowly walked over to the bedroom door that stood only a few feet away from his home and knocked gently on the door, "ey dullard..." he said in exhaustion, his eyes drooping momentarily before opening wide again when there was no answer. Murdoc frowned, checking his watchless wrist for the time before growling and knocking on the door again a little louder this time. When there was no answer Murdoc twisted the knob and found the door unlocked and he entered the dark and empty bedroom, flipping on the light as he scanned the room. He frowned again, this time slightly concerned as to where the singer was until he remembered that the seemingly steroid-pumping singer went running every morning. Shrugging it off, the early-rising Satanist went towards 2D's bed where he knew a box of cigarettes was stashed underneath. Slowly getting on his knees and bending down to support himself with his hands, the bassist looked under the bed for the trademark label of the smokes that 2D usually bought. Murdoc's frown deepened when he saw nothing underneath the bed until a realization hit him full force and he groaned out loud, his head flopping down on the floor in defeat.

2D didn't smoke anymore.

Murdoc sighed in defeat with his head still stuck under the bed and his ass sticking up in the air. How could he forget? That was probably the most amazing and shocking news he'd received since 2D returned, along with the fact that 2D had turned himself into some kind of health/workout freak.

"Um, Muds?"

The Satanist's eyes widened from underneath the bed when he heard the voice of the singer coming from the door. He poked his head out from underneath the bed and shared a confused glance with 2D as the singer watched him with curiosity. Muds cleared his throat and frowned, "I need a smoke," he said, "I ran out."

2D quirked his brow for a moment before jabbing his thumb over his shoulder towards the car park, "I'm goin' runnin'...want meh to pick some up fo' yeh?" he asked. Murdoc's eyes widened suddenly at this. _Goin' runnin'...?_

Murdoc cleared his throat, half his head still concealed underneath 2D's bed and his butt in the air, "I thought yeh already went runnin'," 2D shook his head, "No, not yet, mate," Murdoc quirked his brow this time, "'en 'ere did yeh sleep...?"

It only took 2D a quarter of a second to realize the trap he'd almost fallen into before he quickly, but smoothly responded, "Couch in the livin' room," he said, pointing upstairs. The bassist frowned but nodded skeptically, removing himself slowly from underneath the singer's bed. 2D shook his head from finding Murdoc sprawled underneath his bed and walked over to his closet, peeling of his shirt in the process while Murdoc sat himself down on the edge of 2D's bed with a sigh. This caused the keyboardist to turn around, his eyebrow quirked as he glanced at the bassist who hadn't taken his leave as of yet, but seemed to be making himself comfortable. 2D smiled to himself, slightly pleased that the Satanist and he could finally be in the same room together...and actually enjoy each other's company as _friends_.

Murdoc sighed again, glancing at the singer's refurbished bedroom, horrid memories and mistakes from years past coming back to haunt him. He shook the memories out of his nicotene-deprived head and turned to where 2D was sliding on his jogging pants over his boxers before bending down to grab his running shoes and sittingh himself at the foot of his bed, a little ways away from Murdoc. The bassist stared at 2D's back before clearing his throat, "'ey mate...are yeh serious about Noodle? Thirteen years...'at's a long time mate."

2D mentally sighed to himself, pausing tying his shoes only for a moment before responding, "Yea, mate, I'm serious. S'why I'm back in the first place."

Murdoc's temper began to flare at 2D's obvious lack of concern for the band, but he quickly checked himself when 2D's back muscles spasmed as if to remind the bassist of what would come should he attempt another incident like the one four years ago. Little did he know, 2D's temper had also flared and he was singing 19/2000 to himself in his head to keep from snapping at the bassist. He couldn't understand why Russel and Murdoc doubted his intentions with Noodle. Age didn't make a difference anymore; she wasn't a child. And he cared enough about her to come back to Kong, unbeknownst that anything had changed in the first place; he'd just been fortunate. Murdoc cleared his throat and patted himself in search of his wallet before finding it in his back pocket and pulling it out. He fished out a few bills and held them out to the singer's bare back.

"'ere, get wot yeh can," 2D nodded and turned around, grabbing to bills and shoving them in his pocket as he stood. Murdoc stood as well and began walking towards the door as 2D reached into his closet and began pulling something long out...

Murdoc's eyes widened momentarily in fear as 2D brandished his scythe from Phase One; stains of blood still present on the blade and the stem. The Satanist swallowed nervously before 2D just smiled nonchalantly at him and walked out of his room with the scythe poised over his shoulder. The frightened Satanist stared dumbly at the singer as he walked through the car park like nothing was amiss. Murdoc shuddered slightly, and as if 2D had felt the vibrations run through the bassist's body, he turned around and glanced curiously at the older man.

"Y'awright, mate? Yeh look a little pale..." 2D said, turning around and taking a step towards the Satanist. Murdoc could see clearly the dark scar across the singer's forehead and remembered with shame how he had stood in that very same spot and swung at the poor man; attempting to actually take off his head. Murdoc shook the memories from his mind again before clearing his throat and frowning at the deadly weapon resting on 2D's muscular shoulder, "Wot's the blade for?" He asked, hoping 2D wouldn't suddenly grin sadistically and lunge at him. Fortunately for the scared bass slayer, 2D just glanced at the weapon like it was bug on his shoulder before glancing back at Murdoc with a grin, "Figured I'd chase off any zombies myself 'is time in case 'ey follow meh in 'ere. I'm gona leave 'is by the car park entrance," he said, turning around and heading towards the exit and entrance of the car park that would lead to the early morning; Murdoc staring incredulously at the singer's back as his heart rate began to slow from accelerating in concern for his own health. Murdoc watched the shirtless singer walk further away from him towards the exit of the car park before shaking his head and walking towards the lift to go upstairs.

**ONE HOUR LATER**

Noodle awoke from a pleasant dream with a smile on her lips as she stretched the kinks out of her body. She peeked a sleepy eye open and glanced at her alarm clock with an irritated groan: nine twenty-two. She rolled over and shoved her face in the pillow next to her, her mind slowly picking up speed as she tried to remember the day of the week.

...Thursday. It was Thursday. Shit, it was her turn to go get the post. Noodle sighed again, but froze suddenly after her lungs had been on the rebound of inhaling and she caught a strong whiff of seducing cologne that was very familiar to her. She lifted her head off the pillow, more awake now than before and frowned at the pillow. Why did it smell like 2D? Noodle furrowed her brow as she thought about the events that had occurred up to her falling asleep. They'd put Murdoc to bed, 2D cooked, Noodle ate...a lot, and then they watched a zombie flick marathon...

Noodle's eyes widened. That was the last thing she remembered. She knew for a fact that she had not fallen asleep in her bed, but instead on the couch in the living room with 2D. Noodle sighed, ok...so he'd put her to bed, but that didn't explain the--

Noodle's head suddenly snapped down as she lifted the covers off her body and looked over her pajama-clad body. The guitarist's eyes widened marginally.

She had not put these on.

Noodle shut her eyes for a moment, inhaling sharply before pulling the covers completely off and stepping onto the soft carpet of her floor: 2D had some explaining to do. But for now, she had to get the post before she sat down for breakfast so Murdoc could have the morning paper. Silently padding into her bathroom, Noodle relieved herself; paling when she noticed that she was still wearing her underwear...which she **never** slept in. She shook her head and ignored it; she'd get her answers soon enough. Once she was done with the toilet, she washed her face and brushed the morning mouth out from her teeth. Feeling refreshed but still a little perturbed about yesterday's events, Noodle padded softly to her closet and reached into the back corner for the stem of her most precious weapon. When it was completely out of her closet, she held the scythe in her hands by the stem and stared at it in awe.

Unlike her band mates, Noodle had opted to take care of her weapon after Phase One and washed off the filth from zombies past and repaired the blade for further destructive purposes. Noodle grinned maliciously; she wasn't one to lose herself in the throes of bloodlust...but she always had enjoyed a good zombie slaughter. Sighing contentedly, Noodle swung the blade over her shoulder like a hitch hiker and marched out her bedroom into the corridor. Noodle pressed the button to call the lift, which alerted Murdoc and Russel of her presence.

"Morning baby girl."

"'ey, love."

Noodle smiled, "Hey guys. I'll be right back with the paper and the post," the two nodded from where they sat at the table and returned to their breakfast which consisted of eggs, bacon, fried potato strings, biscuits and beer. Noodle frowned when she realized 2D wasn't present: he must be running. A loud ding sounded and the lift doors opened for her and she stepped inside it, automatically swinging her weapon to stand in front of her due to lack of space in the confined lift. She pressed the button for the car park and leaned back against the wall, tapping a beat on the stem of her weapon with her fingers as she waited for the doors to close and the lift to descend. As the lift bounced down to the lower levels of Kong, Noodle got butterflies in her stomach as she anticipated seeing the person who had been on her mind since...forever. The lift bounced one final time and Noodle shifted her weight and the weight of the weapon in her hands as she waited for the doors to open to the car park.

Once they opened for her, she strolled out casually towards the entrance and exit of the car park, stopping suddenly when she noticed another scythe propped up against the corner of the wall closest to the bay door. She frowned; staring at the other weapon like it was a dangerous predator as she stalked past it. She knew it was either Murdoc's or 2D's, but she didn't know why it was sitting there. With a sigh the guitarist shrugged off the thought, pressing the button on the wall that would open the bay door and allow her outside. As the door slowly rose she stopped it when there was only enough room for her to squeeze through. She doubled over and peeked under the door, making sure there wasn't anything waiting for her. Once she was certain she wouldn't get ambushed she dropped to her hands and knees and slid herself and her weapon underneath the car park door, immediately standing with an alert eye in all directions once she was outside. The morning sun was out, but lately that hadn't been stopping the flesh eating creatures that lurked around the grounds of Kong. She sighed again as she began her long trek down to the gates; damn zombies were probably figuring out that they were impervious to sunlight and actually **could** walk around during the day unscathed. But hey, she could always hope for the best.

Noodle's eyes were dancing around in her head as she surveyed the landscape around her; her weapon poised in a striking position over her shoulder in her tight grip. So far so good, but Noodle knew better than to think that this Thursday would be different from any other Thursday when she had to get the post. Usually...she never made it to the gate on the way down there without something coming after her. Hell, a few weeks ago a wild boar Russel hadn't killed yet escaped from inside the building and charged her. Noodle snorted at the memory; she had stood her ground as the angry animal ran towards her and was mere seconds away from hacking the thing to pieces when Russel had suddenly burst out the front door screaming, "Pierce its heart! Between the shoulder blades!" After a quick calculation in her mind on exactly how she was supposed to do that without getting killed, the Axe Princess leapt into the air when the boar was a foot away from her and brought the tip of her blade down in between the massive animals shoulder blades piercing the heart. It died instantly.

Noodle sighed at the memory; she could level with the drummer's obsession with taxidermy...but killing the animals himself? That was the disturbing part. She didn't question it though; Russel hadn't been the same since the Grim came and took Del away. The ghostly counterpart had been with Russel so long that in essence he had become a part of him and when Del was taken away, that part of Russel was no longer there as well...as if he wasn't whole anymore. So though he coped with the loss in the strangest ways, it was coping none the less so his band mates left it alone. Noodle snorted to herself; Grim was like a close neighbor to them. More than an acquaintance due to the dead or near-dead that walked around their property all the time. Grim gave up a long time ago bringing the zombies into the afterlife since there were so many of them so he settled on fetching the ones that were destroyed by the band or other means.

Noodle frowned suddenly, stopping when she reached the gates of Kong. She slowly craned her neck in either direction, taking in the land around her. Something wasn't right; never in her entire life here at Kong had she ever made it all the way _to_ the mailbox without some kind of disturbance and yet there she was, standing at the rusty iron gates like she was taking a Sunday stroll. Her grip on the scythe tightened as she opened the gates and quickly slipped through, shutting the gates behind her. On the left brick wall that the gate was stationed in was their post box and Noodle opened it, pulling out several envelopes consisting of the newspaper, bills, newsletters, junk mail and the occasional fan mail from someone who discovered their real address. It wasn't a lot so Noodle juggled the bundle of mail underneath her right arm while she opened the gate again; glancing around nervously. Her hackles had risen when no zombies had attacked her before, but now she was on full alert since not a single member of the walking dead could be seen in the landfill. She glanced around some more; scanning the area around her before her eyes widened in a painful realization and she bolted up the unprotected driveway to the car park. She wasn't sure…but if none of the zombies were outside in the landfill…then they were inside Kong.

The eighteen year olds lungs pulled and pushed air in and out of her lungs in a fast paced frenzy as she pushed herself up the driveway in a mad dash to get to Murdoc and Russel. She gritted her teeth, thinking of them sitting there unaware of the danger that was sniffing them out at this very moment.

Noodle; however, was the one caught unaware.

The guitarist made the error of running too close to the edge of the cement when she was no more than ten feet away from the bay door, when suddenly a decaying and decrepit hand shot out from the ground and grabbed her ankle, the hidden zombies grip tightening. Noodle cried out as her momentum was jerked to a stop and she began to lose her balance. Her eyes widened in fear; if she fell to the ground then she was a goner. The zombies had gotten faster and smarter over the years and they would pounce on her in a heartbeat. Everything slowed down around her as she whirled her upper body around, weapon in hand, and sliced cleanly through the hand that was mere seconds away from piercing her skin with its disgusting nails. The zombie shrieked angrily as the scythe blade sliced the fingers off, the remaining digits falling to the ground where her foot had been as she counter-balanced herself and bolted towards the locked key pad that would open the garage door. Without even glancing behind her Noodle knew the other zombies had gotten irritated from the injured one's lack of success in capturing her and they were climbing out of the ground to come after her. Unfortunately for her, they had lined most of the driveway all the way up to Kong and they were bursting out of the ground very close to the door. Noodle grimaced, but pushed herself forward nonetheless, colliding with door in a failed attempt to stop herself and fumbling with the key that was in her pocket to unlock the keypad and then press the four-digit number that would let her inside.

When opened through the keypad on the outside, the car park bay door will only raise about two feet off the ground, just enough for someone to slip under. Noodle managed to unlock the keypad and press the four-digits with her trembling fingers, but she suddenly realized that to get under the door…she had to get on the ground. Getting on the ground meant risking most of them dog piling on her and killing her in the process. Without another seconds hesitation, Noodle dropped to the ground without looking behind her where the moans were coming from and was about to roll under the door when suddenly several hands were on her when she was facing the inside of the car park and with a frightened scream she was dragged back outside Kong.

"SHIT!" She managed to scream, waving her scythe around her and cutting down zombies left and right but not enough that she could make a break for the door. Her eyes darted around frantically as she tried to kill the ones that managed to get closest to her. One scratch…all they had to do was break the skin and touch her blood with their dead bodies and she was a goner.

There were so many around her she almost couldn't see the sky above her head as she lay on her back, fending off the zombies. They had gotten smarter over the years, but none of them were smart enough to get down on her level which would enable her to fight all of them off. Suddenly Noodle felt a slight pounding on the ground and saw some of the zombies break away from her and go towards Kong, "NO!" She screamed out. If they got in Kong then there'd be no getting them out. None of them were mentally prepared to go through another zombie-takeout like Phase One. However, luckily for her, none of them had bothered to try and get inside since all of them were preoccupied with her until just a moment ago. Noodle panicked, trying to concentrate on staying alive while trying to peer through there legs to Kong to see what they'd been after.

Suddenly several pairs of legs towards the back of the throng that was after her shuddered, the upper part of their bodies falling to the ground before the legs collapsed afterwards. Noodle's eyes widened, caught off guard by what had just happened.

"NOODLE!" She heard someone scream. Noodle cried out as she continued to cut away the walking dead in order to save her own life and she called out at the top of her lungs, "2D! 2D! I'm over here!" She said, making sure her scythe peaked over the top of the zombies heads before coming down and cutting some of them off.

"I'm coming, Noodle!" The panicked, blue-haired singer shouted as he swung his powerful arms across his body, scythe in hand, and demolished another five zombies as he made his way towards her. 2D was never one to pray, especially in moments like these when his concentration was necessary, but he was praying now that Noodle hadn't been cut. If so…he didn't think about what he'd have to do. Noodle swung mercilessly as she saw 2D's legs get closer, trying to stay unscathed long enough for him to get to her. The singer grunted as he put his newly gained physique to good use and exerted himself to destroy the undead that were between him and Noodle.

Finally 2D cut away several more and was able to see where Noodle lay on her back in the middle of a throng of over a hundred. Impatient and desperate, 2D elbowed his way through several more and thrust his arm out to grab her, her last swing barely missing the top of his head as he ducked down and grabbed her arm, jerking her up with a grunt and spinning around in the same split second; bolting towards Kong with her in tow. Noodle gasped at being lifted off the ground so quickly and then was suddenly dragged behind 2D the short distance that it took to get to the car park bay door. A couple of zombies slowly moped in front of the door and 2D called over his shoulder to her, "Throw your weapon under the door!" Noodle nodded even though he didn't see and she threw the scythe parallel to the ground, 2D doing the same. Both slid under the door into the car park, 2D's making contact with one of the zombie's legs and cutting them off successfully. The couple both slid under the door, as several hands reached for them; 2D being the first on the other side and jumping up in a hurry and pressing the door release just as Noodle's head cleared the door. The door came down quickly on top of several arms and hands, cutting them off.

Both 2D and Noodle stood or sat motionlessly, staring at the door and letting their safety sink in for a moment before Noodle sobbed and collapsed on the ground. 2D let out a small sigh of relief before slowly walking over to where Noodle lay on the ground, her hands covering her face as she wept. The singer gently bent down and picked her up bridal style, Noodle immediately curling into his naked chest as he walked towards his bedroom.

Noodle cried the whole way to his bedroom, and into the bathroom where he put her down on her feet and cradled her weeping form against him. Both stood still for a moment in silence save for Noodle's weeping, and held each other. 2D's jaw muscle clenched and unclenched as he rested his cheek against the top of the young guitarist's head. He'd almost lost her today…one scratch was all it would have taken for them to make her one of the undead and then she would have been lost to them forever. He brought his left arm down to pull her closer when he felt something brush against his arm. Frowning, he leaned back from where she was sobbing into his bare chest and glanced at her right arm. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open at what he saw.

Tucked underneath her arm was the post for today, all of it the singer assumed since it was a large bundle. The singer shook his head in disbelief as Noodle stood there with her head downcast, her sobs never relenting. 2D gently grabbed her right elbow and pulled it away from her side, the bundle of mail sliding down and into his other outstretched hand.

"Were yeh protectin' the post or protectin' yoself, love?" 2D joked lightheartedly but Noodle didn't laugh, she just continued to cry. 2D sighed again, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her close to him again. This time he bent his head down (as well as his knees) so his cheek was against hers, "I 'ave to check yeh, love. I need to make sure…make sure 'at yeh aren't injured," he said with some difficulty. Noodle wept, but nodded her head. He nodded to and began psyching himself again so he could undress her for the second time in less than twenty-four hours. He untied her pajama bottoms, noticing that they were torn and dirty, and the rest of her body was dirty as well. 2D swallowed the lump in his throat and hooked his thumbs into the waist of her pants as well as her panties, opting to get her completely naked so he could help her get into the shower. He did his best to ignore the triangular patch of hair in between her legs and concentrated on getting her pants off.

Noodle, still sobbing, was only slightly aware of 2D trying to undress her but she didn't care. She felt dirty and disgusting and all she wanted was for him to hold her. She kept her eyes closed as she wept; she knew she wasn't exactly in a stable state of mind and if she saw him undressing her it might force her to make a drastic move…a move she wasn't ready to make yet. 2D, who was thinking the same thing, examined her legs up and down, searching for any miniscule abrasion or spot of blood…anything. There was a bruise on her hip, but it was small and no sign of blood or a break of this skin. He assumed it was due to the bone of her hip coming into contact with the cement. There was another bruise on her rear, but this one was small too and wasn't an open wound although he wasn't sure how she'd gotten it. Swallowing his anxiety and feeling slightly relieved, 2D stood, kissing Noodle's cheek while he was on his way to his full height. Her sobs had stopped, but she was still sniffling and the tears didn't stop. Sighing again, he grabbed the hem of her tank top without hesitation and lifted her over her head, the guitarist lifting her arms in cooperation. 2D closed his eyes and counted to ten; the image of her bare breasts burned into his mind. The singer mentally scolded himself. This wasn't a sexual act; he was trying to make sure she wasn't a damn zombie.

2D managed to pull himself together after yet another sigh and opened his eyes bending his knees until he was kneeling on the ground in front of her, his eyes unfortunately level with her breasts. He positioned his hands on her waist, turning her body this way and that way to examine her upper body. So far so good; no bruises on this part of her body except for her hands, but that was from her grip on her weapon. 2D sighed in relief after fully checking her body over, and despite himself, rested his head against her chest with a smile. Noodle instinctively wrapped her arms around him and sighed as well.

"Yo' awright, love," 2D said with relief. Noodle nodded and smiled in spite of the situation. They stayed that way for a moment until 2D cleared his throat and whispered, "Let me put yeh in the shower, love," Noodle nodded as he stood, but opened her eyes suddenly and grabbed his arms. There eyes locked; green with black; Noodle's please and 2D's confused. Noodle swallowed nervously; she was stepping on the edge doing this. It could go where they weren't ready to go and result in something neither of them were prepared for…especially on their third day as a couple. She mentally shrugged and licked her lips, stepping onto the edge, "Get in with me," she pleaded and asked in the same sentence. 2D's eyes widened; he hadn't been ready for that and Noodle knew it. His brow knitted together and Noodle was afraid he was about to scold her for being too forward, but instead he just quirked one of his thick eyebrows and swallowed the lump in his throat, "Yo' sure?" he whispered. Noodle nodded and took a step toward him, unashamed of her nakedness as she flattened her palms on his abdomen. The singer's breath hitched in his throat as the guitarist pressed her naked body against his and he prayed she wouldn't notice his erection that was throbbing in his pants. Unfortunately for him, though, Noodle reached for the tie on his sweat pants as they stared into each others eyes. With slow and agonizing grace Noodle untied his pants, grabbing two fistfuls at his thighs, including his boxers, and gently began to pull them off his waist. 2D swallowed the lump in his throat again, as Noodle's body began to follow her hands and, little by little, soft, blue curls began to peek over the descending waist of his sweat pants. 2D closed his eyes and groaned as his erection slowly revealed itself out of his pants.

What the hell was this? They weren't seriously about to…

2D mentally shook the thought of his head; she'd said she just wanted him in the shower with her…

Oh, but that could mean anything!

2D didn't like being confused in a drastic situation (regardless of the fact that he always _was_ confused in drastic situations) and he started to panic as he felt the guitarist's hands reach his ankles. Without any hesitation he kicked of his shoes and socks, along with his pants and faced the bull head on as he stood in front of her, eyes squeezed shut, and stark naked. After a few seconds of waiting for something to happen; the singer finally heard the squeak of the shower knob turning and water began to spray down. He peeked an eye open and saw Noodle standing in the shower with the curtain pulled to her waist so it covered her parts. She was staring at him with a frightened expression and she bit her trembling lip before whispering, "I'm sorry…I'm going too fast…I just…just," she squeezed her eyes shut and ripped the curtain closed, her sobs reaching the singer's ears over the noise of the shower. He stared at the plain curtain a little dumbfounded and ashamed. Between the two of them why should he be embarrassed about his nudity? He used to have sex on countless occasions and even had children. He had nothing left to be embarrassed about! Noodle, however, was the one that was virgin to every sexual awakening and was probably extremely self-conscious at this point.

2D mentally berated himself for being selfish and inconsiderate of Noodle's feelings. She wasn't dumb; she knew he'd most likely be aroused, but his reaction probably gave her the wrong impression. Shaking his head, he pulled aside the shower curtain to find Noodle with her back against the wall of the shower and her hands covering her face and breaking apart her sobs while the spray of water went right past her. 2D sighed to himself and stepped into the shower, the water bouncing off his body as he stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her naked form and brought close to him in a wet embrace. He ducked his head down, his lips barely reaching the crown of her head, and sighed again, "Love, I'm at a place 'ere yo' not at yet. I'm thirty-one and a father; yo' eighteen and new to love and relationships. I'd be a bastard if I didn't level wit' yeh and be patient with yeh," He leaned back and brought one of his arms up to tilt her chin up so she looked at him; large emerald eyes gazing up into his ebony orbs. The vocalist smiled down at her, "I'm moving at yo' pace, love. You can never go too slow, or too fast for meh," he said with a wink.

"Marry me," she said in reply.

2D's mouth dropped open and his eyes began to bulge until he saw her smirk and realized she was being sarcastic after which he sighed with relief and chuckled, "Ok, maybe not _'at_ fast love, but I'm with yeh all the way," he said, bending his knees so he could kiss her on the nose. Noodle sighed and cuddled against his chest as she felt the dirt and grime of the morning's incident wash off her. She was glad the singer had been so understanding of her; however she was more grateful to the fact that she was even alive.

Noodle frowned against his chest as they stood together in the shower silently. Had she not been trained to fight; better yet…to kill? What had happened today? Why had she been caught off guard? Mentally, she shook the thoughts from her head and began to enjoy the feel of 2D's naked body against hers. So she'd been caught unaware? It was the first time and she was alive and 2D was alive…that was all that mattered.

She felt 2D reach behind her and suddenly something soft and wet was being rubbed all over her back. She sighed, her eyes almost rolling into the back of her head: soap. Thank God too; she felt disgusting and filthy after all of those dead hands had touched her. 2D snickered down at the purring guitarist and bent his knees again to whisper into her ear.

"Let's get yeh cleaned up…love," he said into her ear, lovingly.

Murdoc growled suddenly, realizing what the hell was off. He didn't realize almost an hour had passed since Noodle had gone downstairs because breakfast had never _ended._ Russel didn't stop cooking for some reason. He glanced at Russel to see if the drummer had cared to take notice that his surrogate daughter was missing, but the percussionist had busied himself with making more pancakes. Murdoc rolled his eyes and snarled, "'ave yeh _not_ noticed 'at Noodle 'asn't come back yet, lards?!"

Russel glanced at the clock on the wall before spinning around with wide, blank eyes, "Do you think zombies got her?!" He asked frantically. The bass slayer scowled, "_Probably_ because neither of us _bothered_ to check!!" He yelled, standing abruptly and taking a few steps towards the lift when the stairway door down the hall burst open suddenly and Murdoc looked out the doorway of the kitchen to see 2D running down the hallway towards him wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Murdoc frowned when he saw the post and a carton of his cigarettes in the singer's hands and he scowled up at the vocalist as he came to a stop in front of him, "Where's. Noodle." He asked in a growl. 2D frowned a little and sighed, handing the Satanist the post and his cigarettes, "Damn zombies got smarter and attacked her while I was comin' 'ome. She's downstairs sleepin' it off," he said, walking past Murdoc nonchalantly into the kitchen and grabbing a couple of plates out of the cabinet. The Satanist glowered, still not used to being treated in such a manner and sat at the table, opening the newspaper. Russel, sighed with relief and clapped 2D on the shoulder before piling up the two plates in his hands with food. 2D mumbled to Russel that he was taking these down to Noodle before walking away from the duo and back down the stairs, ignoring the lift that was barely a foot away from the kitchen entrance. Murdoc glared momentarily at the kitchen entrance before focusing on the newspaper again.

"I don't like it, Russ…" he complained with a scowl. The large man chuckled, shaking his head as he flipped another pancake. He sighed, "Man, you don't like anything that doesn't involve you. So, 2D got buff and Noodle-girl and him got together. So what? Nobody's tryin' to show you up," he said, ending the conversation on that final note. Murdoc didn't respond, but simmered over the topic a little more in his mind. Even if he was to get pissed off about 2D being "a better person" than he was…exactly how pissed off would he be able to get?

Noodle was roused from her relaxing slumber by a gentle knock on the door. Peeking an eye open, the guitarist frowned when she realized that she was not in her bed…let alone in her room. It was pitch black and slightly chilly even though she was buried under a sheet and comforter. Before Noodle could start to ponder her whereabouts, the knocking persisted and a weight was lifted off her midsection that she didn't know was there. Her eyes widened. She was in 2D's room…of course. They'd showered, he'd grabbed some pajamas for her…explained last nights occurrences and why he'd undressed/dressed her before putting her to bed, and then the couple went to sleep in his bed. 2D's arm had been slung around her middle and now he was rolling out of the bed and wobbling sleepily over to the door; stumbling over random objects in his room that he couldn't see.

"Awright…awright, I'm comin'…" he slurred sleepily. Noodle lowered her eyelid of her open eye as the singer opened the door to reveal a nervous-looking Russel standing in the doorway. 2D quirked his brow at the drummer while his eyes remained partially close due to the brightness of the car park.

"Wos 'at?" he asked groggily while Russel shifted his massive bulk nervously. The drummer cleared his throat, "Uh, 'D, there's this woman here to see you," he said in a low voice, wary of the "sleeping" occupant inside the bedroom. 2D cocked his head to the side, "Eh? Who's she wit'? Magazine or somethin'?" he asked. Russel shook his head, looking behind him before leaning in close to the singer and whispering.

"No, no…uh…she's…she's got a kid with her, 'D. And…and he's got blue hair."

**A/N: I am soooo sorry this took so long. I've been doing 'not so great' in school and I've had to steer my focus in that direction for a little while. Now I'm going to try and finish Oh Child of Mine before people forget what it's about.** **Hope you enjoyed!**


	7. Chapter 7

Left Behind

By: a.mild.groove

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters associated with Gorillaz. All rights reserved to Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett.**

Chapter Seven

Noodle's eyes widened dangerously as she heard 2D swear. She heard him rummage through the room for a shirt before she remembered the role she was playing and quickly shut her eyes again, silently praying her sleeping façade would work until he left the room. On the outside, the young guitarist seemed peaceful in her slumber, but on the inside her mind was a raging war of emotions. A child? Why on earth would one of 2D's "women" bring her kid here?

Noodle made more effort to remain motionless as she heard Russel tip toe into the room and 2D squat next to her head, fiddling with his nightstand drawer. Noodle winced when he ripped open the top drawer and then slammed it shut with a loud bang. He was angry and she could practically feel the emotion exuding from his person as he huffed next to her.

Russel cleared his throat quietly and whispered, "'D…'D what are you doing?" he asked timidly. He already knew this news would probably anger the singer beyond all recognition and he hoped above all things 2D would contain his temper around this woman; especially considering how rude she'd been to him the moment the large drummer had opened the door and greeted her. 2D ripped open the bottom drawer with a loud curse before sighing and diving his hand into the drawer, pulling out his checkbook. Russel's white eyes widened when he saw this. The singer stood with a longing stare at the sleeping Noodle, who had oddly enough remained silent throughout the singer's entire fit, before frowning again and stomping past the drummer towards the bedroom door.

"Come on," he said gruffly over his shoulder to the drummer before exiting the room. Russel glanced at Noodle with a sad sigh before turning around and following the angry singer out the door and quietly shutting it behind him. The moment she heard the door click shut, the young guitarist's eyes popped open and she frowned, her temper beginning to flare. Glancing at the clock she scowled when she realized that she'd slept most of the day and it was almost five o'clock. Throwing off the covers, Noodle was pleased to see that she was a decent pair of pajama pants, black, with a white spaghetti strap tank top on even though she didn't have bra on. Noodle rolled her eyes as she walked to the bathroom, thank goodness for camisoles with sew-in bras, she thought to herself as she examined her chest in the mirror to make sure she was suitable enough to be seen. She grinned maliciously when she looked over her face in the mirror. Thankfully she didn't look as if she just woke up, but instead had a nice, healthy glow to her skin; no makeup required.

Good, she thought to herself, she was going to need to look decent to show up whoever the hell came to the door with 2D's child. Glancing at herself one last time in the mirror, Noodle lifted her chin defiantly and marched out of the bathroom towards the bedroom door that led to the car park. A deadly scowl fixed upon her face, Noodle stalked out of the bedroom and towards the stairs; best not to warn them of her arrival.

♥

Murdoc sat in the living room of Kong with a cigarette between his fingers and his head resting against the palm of his hand. He had an angry, yet surprised, look on his face as he stared at the beautiful woman sitting in the chair across from him. He was surprised that 2D had actually managed to get a lay this pretty and was wondering when he'd missed this one walking in and out of 2D's room. She had glossy brown hair that reached her shoulders and deep brown eyes. Her face was mediocre, but her body was slender and curvy in all the right places. She was acceptable in Murdoc's view. However, his gaze settled onto the blue-haired brat sitting next to her who was trying his hardest to avoid the Satanist's gaze ever since he'd been ushered into the room. The bass slayer stared at the blue hair incredulously…he didn't realize the singer's hair was _genetic_. Murdoc sighed to himself and took a hit off his cigarette. He'd been dragged in here by Russel after the large drummer had answered the door and let this bitch in. After Russel had run downstairs, Murdoc had put the charm on and kindly offered her a cigarette after sidling up next to where she sat on the couch with her son. She'd glared at him and all but hissed at him until she stood and moved to the chair away from Murdoc. He'd shrugged to himself, apparently his presence irritated her and that was fine with him…he had to watch her anyway and if he couldn't have her at least he could piss her off.

Shaun's voice sounded off and then the bassist heard the lift door open; someone's footsteps stomping down the corridor followed by slow, heavy footsteps until 2D came through the door into the living room. He stopped abruptly upon seeing the woman sitting in the chair and the boy next to her and glared at her while she glared back.

The boy's mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide upon seeing 2D and his hair color; the child's hand automatically reaching up to his own hair and gripping one of the blue, spiky locks. 2D frowned even further upon seeing the boy and mentally cursed to himself. He wasn't about to act like an ass in front of a kid; _his_ kid.

2D took a couple steps forward into the room; Russel almost bolting out from behind him onto the couch next to the confused bassist. The two sat there timidly, watching the woman and 2D. The singer fumed silently before growling, "'ow much?"

The woman frowned, slightly taken aback, "What?" she hissed out. 2D picked up a pen off the coffee table and opened the checkbook in his hand, "I said, 'ow much?" he growled out again. The woman's scowl deepened and she clenched her teeth, "I'm not here for money you prick, I'm—"

"Well 'en yeh 'ave _no_ business 'ere, _ma'am_," he said condescendingly. Her temper flared more so than before and she was about to comment when another door that was directly across the room from her opened and out walked a young Asian woman the mother instantly knew to be Noodle. She swore under her breath as she glared at the girl that closed the door to the stairwell and leaned against it, glaring back at her.

2D's mouth dropped open when Noodle walked into the living room, "Noodle…" he whispered.

Russel and Murdoc also went wide eyed upon seeing Noodle. Russel mentally cursed himself for not knowing that Noodle would have been awake in the singer's room and Murdoc just swore to himself…sensing that there was about to be a _major_ territory war in the middle of his living room between the mother and his guitarist.

Noodle didn't acknowledge 2D or the rest of her band mates, but instead continued to stare calmly at the woman who sat across the room in front of her. The guitarist was surprised to find that she actually wasn't as angry at the situation as she should be. What's the worst that could happen? 2D was probably right in assuming that the woman and her son had come here for money so what more could happen that would result in something dreadful? However, she was irritated at the fact that the woman was _there_ in her home so she opted that an intimidating façade was better than acting like a pushover.

The woman's glare that was fixated on Noodle deepened, "Excuse me," she said harshly.

Noodle's expression didn't change, "You're excused," she said mockingly, knowing full and well what the woman wanted her to do. The mother inhaled sharply before saying again, "Excuse me, but this is a private conversation,"

"In _my_ house," Noodle pointed out, the subliminal message screaming that she had the right to be there just as much as Murdoc or Russel. The woman got the message and was about to argue before she glanced at 2D and decided to stick to her initial mission. She cleared her throat and started again, "I'm here because I need a place to live," she said as though she were asking a favor of friends.

2D snorted loudly and stared at her incredulously, "'at's too bad. I have no _obligation_ to yeh. My obligation is to 'im," the singer said, nodding towards the boy that continued to stare at him.

"Well _he_ needs a place to live!" she screamed. 2D's expression didn't change as he continued to argue with the woman, "I didn't ask for custody of any of meh children and I probably wouldn't get it even if I wanted it! So wot makes yeh think I can supply a place for 'im to live?" he asked bitterly as he stared back at her, his gaze flicking over to Noodle every once and a while. It relaxed him slightly to see that she wasn't so angry as he thought she'd be even though she might throttle his ex-lover if left in a room alone with her. He was brought back to the woman in front of him by her outraged screams.

"Buy a flat for us to live in then and we'll be out of your hair!" she said pleadingly, trying to reason with the singer. 2D glared, "The only thing yeh will get out of meh today is a check with 'is name on it!" he said through clenched teeth.

The woman's face dropped into an expression of despair and Noodle suddenly realized what the woman was after and that 2D had caught on as well. If 2D was ever pushed to send a check for child support, he sent a check made out to the _child_, not the mother and he always sent it through Child Services; thus ensuring that the mother didn't squander his money. So this child was probably getting a check from 2D and was probably taken care of, but the mother needed money for whatever reason, not a place to stay like she had initially said.

Noodle disturbed the tension in the room by pushing off from the door and silently walked over and stood next to 2D, the singer immediately wrapping his arm around her shoulders, but his glare never leaving the face of the woman sitting before them. The woman's eyes widened, and her nostril's flared before she snorted, "One child for another? Is that your game?" she said, eyeing the couple.

Noodle spoke up before 2D could retort, "The only _children_ in this room are sitting in that chair," she said, the insult stinging the woman to her core as she gaped at the eighteen year old next to 2D.

Russel and Murdoc's mouths both dropped open at the comment that came from Noodle. Russel was about to scold her before he came around and realized that the obnoxious woman had it coming the whole time. Murdoc on the other hand was wondering where Noodle had learned to deal such remarks. Hmm…

The tension in the room was extinguished by 2D snapping his checkbook shut and saying, "If yeh won't take a check, 'en leave and wait for Child Services to contact yeh."

♥

2D plopped face down onto his bed an hour later with a relieved sigh. It had taken everything he had not to physically drag the woman out of his house by her hair and feed her to the zombies that were waiting outside. After a few shouts between the woman and himself and then between the woman, himself and Noodle, Murdoc finally stood and ordered her out of his house before he called the police. The Satanist and Russel escorted her out of Kong the safe way after 2D had tried to shove her out the door; the unsafe way.

The whole time, 2D's son never said a word. He remained silent the whole time until the mother had turned away from the front door and followed Russel and Murdoc down the corridor towards the lift. He hadn't followed her just yet; instead he walked up to where 2D and Noodle were exiting the living room via the stairwell and gently grabbed 2D's pant leg as the singer held the door open for Noodle. 2D glanced down at the boy, a little shocked at the encounter since this was in fact his _son_. The singer quirked an eyebrow at the boy, attempting to give off a gentle portico and not frighten him even though the boy already looked nervous. The boy wrung his hands together nervously before swallowing the lump in his throat and stuttering in a squeaky voice, "A-Are you the one taking care of me?" he asked.

Noodle had stopped midway down the first step and leaned back, peeking her head out the door and looking at the exchange between 2D and his son. It was strange hearing 2D's voice come from a young boy without the heavy accent. 2D stared at the boy, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation. The boy's mother probably wasn't well off and couldn't afford many things for herself…and the boy probably put two and two together today and realized that someone _else_ was taking care of his bare necessities since he figured out that his own mother couldn't. Today, the boy put a face to that someone who was taking care of him from a distance: 2D.

2D swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, "Yea…I am."

His son nodded, understanding. He stood there for a while just staring at his feet before looking up at the man standing over four feet above his head and asked, "What's your name?"

2D's heart began to shatter into pieces and he suddenly felt like the most horrible person in the world. Noodle saw this and knew exactly what was happening in the singer's head; something she was afraid of happening.

2D thought he was doing something right by supporting his "accident" children; sending them money and sometimes clothes or a CD or something. He'd lived carefree and feeling good about himself, knowing that he was "taking care of" his "children" without the burden of having to meet them or deal with them personally.

But now? Now he was dealing with the fact that it was _he_ who was the bastard and suddenly he wished that he was capable of being a real father…someone who was allowed to see his children despite the fact that the courts thought it best that he didn't.

He smiled gently down at his son, "Stuart," he said, deciding that he wanted to be remembered by his true identity and not by the celebrity one. The boy smiled and was about to open his mouth when his mother hissed from the doorway of the corridor.

"Harry!" she hissed, commanding him to follow her through her glare before disappearing into the corridor again. Harry looked from where his mother had stood back to 2D and smiled, "Thank you," he whispered before bounding off towards the corridor after his mother. 2D stared where Harry had been only moments ago before turning and facing a teary-eyed Noodle who stood smiling in the doorway.

"What?" he whispered, staring into her eyes with concern. She just shook her head and grabbed his hand, leading him downstairs, "You're a good man, Stu."

Back in his room, 2D listened from where he was on the bed as Noodle snorted from the doorway of his room and shut the door behind her, locking it.

"Emotional encounters can wear you out, can't they?" she said, lying next to where he was facedown on the bed. He rolled over onto his back and sighed, "Did yeh see the way 'e looked at meh, Noods? He looked at meh like I was some kind of savior or something," he said shaking his head. Noodle shrugged, "Maybe to him you are."

"How?" the singer asked, propping himself up on his elbows and staring into her eyes, "'e's never even met meh before and 'e didn't even act the slightest bit resentful!"

Noodle sighed and scooted closer to the singer, planting a kiss on his forehead and staring into his black eyes, "I think Harry knew who was responsible for the clothes on his back and the food on his plate and the roof over his head. I think he knew it was you, 'D."

2D nodded, when Noodle said it…it sounded like a good thing. He quirked an eyebrow, "So…what about the rest of 'em?" he asked. Noodle shrugged, "It's not going to be the same with each kid, 'D. The mothers of the rest of them are probably grateful that you're helping and don't feel the need to associate you with their child's life and the child may ever need to know about you, ya know?"

2D nodded again, understanding the situation a little better. He wasn't a father to these kids or to Harry; a father was always there and helped raise them. 2D was a provider. He was a provider of life and other means for the child to survive. He didn't like how that sounded and he realized it was because he _did _want to be a father. He glanced at Noodle and smiled, knowing that he wouldn't get a chance to be a father to any of his other children but he could start over with Noodle, eventually.

2D smiled and leaned in, kissing Noodle sound on the lips. She responded immediately to the kiss, her hand reaching up to his head, her fingers finding his hair and raking through the soft locks. Noodle sighed softly into the kiss, wondering if the singer even knew that he wore his emotions on his face and how obvious his thoughts were. She knew he wanted to be a father, a real father, and have a legitimate father-to-child association with anymore children that he had. She smiled at him gently when the kiss broke and he brought her close in a tight embrace, snuggling close to her and hiding his face in her neck.

"I love yeh," he whispered with sincerity that made the young guitarist's nerves dance happily. Noodle smiled and squeezed him tightly in the embrace.

"I love you, too…Stuart."

♥

**A/N: Thank you to all of you who have supported me throughout the entirety of this story. I'm very sorry it took so long to update. I hope you enjoyed! ♥**


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